Bolt Loses One Gold in 2008 Beijing Olympics
The World’s fastest man, Usain Bolt, has to turn over one of his nine Olympic gold medals after his Jamaican team mate Nesta Carter failed a dope test at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Nesta Carter was part of the Jamaican quartet that won the 4x100m in Beijing in 2008.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) revealed on Wednesday that the retests of Carter’s sample contained the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine, which has been on the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) prohibited list since 2004.
The ruling requires the Jamaica’s 4×100 metres relay team to give back their gold medals.
The team won in a then-world record of 37.10 seconds. Medals will change with this new disclosure of results. This means Trinidad and Tobago will get the gold and Japan will win the silver medals. Brazil would then receive bronze.
Bolt’s Reaction
No recent statements were heard from the greatest sprinter of all time when the news burst into the headlines.
But in June, when sources familiar with the case told Reuters that Carter had failed a doping test, he was philosophical about the prospect of losing a gold medal.
Bolt said, “It’s heartbreaking (the positive test) because over the years you’ve worked hard to accumulate gold medals and work hard to be a champion… but it’s just one of those things.”
He added, “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.”
Bolt won an unprecedented treble of consecutive golds in the 100m, 200m and 4×100 relay in three straight Olympics.
The banned stimulant
Methylhexaneamine has been on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code prohibited list since 2004. In 2011, the banned substance was reclassified as a “specified substance.”
The banned substance was sold as a nasal decongestant in the United States until 1983. In recent years, methylhexanamine has been used as an ingredient in dietary supplements.
