The Trinidad and Tobago men’s 4 x 100m relay squad have been awarded the 2008 Olympics gold medal after sprinting powerhouse, Jamaica, was disqualified by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The Jamaican team - that included the likes of current 100m world record holder Usain Bolt, Michael Frater, Asafa Powell and Nesta Carter - was disqualified by the IOC after the latter failed a drug test. Methylhexanamine, a substance which is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), was found in Carter’s samples after several re-tests.
Carter was instrumental in Jamaica’s 2008 and 2012 Olympic success. He also helped the Caribbean Island bag gold medals at the 2008, 2013 and 2015 World Athletics Championships.
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According to Reuters, Bolt was philosophical in 2017 when reports of Cater failing a doping test emerged.
The development means Bolt is no longer the first sprinter to bag a treble in a single Olympic event. He won the 200m, 4 x100m relay and 100m gold medals at the 2008 Beijing edition.
“It’s heartbreaking (the positive test) because over the years you have worked hard to accumulate gold medals and work hard to be a champion... but it’s just one of those things.
“Things happen in life, so when it’s confirmed or whatever, if I need to give back my gold medal, I’d have to give it back, it’s not a problem for me,” Reuters quoted him at the time.
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Speaking during the awards ceremony which was held in Lausanne, Switzerland, Richard Thompson - who was part of the Trinidad and Tobago team - appreciated the effort made by everyone involved to keep the integrity of the sport intact.
“I am very excited and relieved at the same time. This has been a long time coming. We should have originally won these medals 14 years ago, but the circumstances were beyond our control.
“We are happy that the IOC acted with immediacy and all the relevant bodies continued to do everything they could for the integrity of the sport and the Olympics in general,” Thompson stated.
So far, more than one hundred athletes who took part at the London and Beijing Olympic Games have tested positive for banned substances after their tests were revisited.
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