Retired track star Lashinda Demus will receive a gold medal for her performance at the 2012 Olympics in London after a Russian athlete was found guilty of doping, according to ABC News.
The Athletics Integrity Unit announced on Dec. 21 that Russian 400-meter hurdler Natalya Antyukh would lose her Olympic gold medal because of doping.
The Athletics Integrity Unit oversees track and field doping cases and said on Wednesday that Antyukh was handed a penalty two months ago stripping her of results between July 2012 through June 2013. Evidence of anti-doping reportedly came from a Moscow anti-doping laboratory database, and Antyukh did not appeal the penalty.
The Athletics Integrity Unit announced that the International Olympic Committee could now begin the process of reallocating the Olympic medals to the true winners. In addition to Demus receiving a gold medal, Zuzana Hejnová from the Czech Republic and Kaliese Spencer from Jamaica will also receive silver and bronze medals, respectively.
Upon learning the news, Demus said in an email that she deserved everything that would have accompanied her gold medal in 2012, including the missed compensation. Antyukh beat Demus by .07 seconds at the 2012 Olympics.
“I’m not afraid to say that I then deserve the official title, medal, recognition, and missed compensation that goes along with it all.”
Head of the Athletics Integrity Unit Brett Clothier said it was important to note the true winner, “even if a decade later”.
“The AIU remains committed to investigating all cases of potential violations and securing the appropriate outcomes,” said Clothier. “The integrity of the sport of athletics is our utmost priority and we are pleased, in this instance, that athletes who competed fairly at the highest level will ultimately be acknowledged as the rightful medal winners.”
Demus also won a gold medal at the 2011 world championships.
