Sprinter legend Usain Bolt will have to return one of his nine Olympic gold medals after his Jamaican teammate Nesta Carter was tested positive for a banned substance eight years ago at the Beijing Olympics.
Carter was part of the Jamaican quartet that won the 4x100m in Beijing in 2008.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that Carter was tested positive for a banned stimulant methylhexaneamine, after a reanalysis of samples from the Beijing Olympics.
He was one of 454 selected doping samples re-tested by the IOC last year.
As a result, Carter and Bolt, along with fellow sprinters Asafa Powell and Michael Frater, will all have to return their medals to the IOC follow the verdict.
The athlete, Nesta Carter is found to have committed an anti-doping rule violation pursuant to the IOC Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing in 2008, is disqualified from the men’s 4x100m relay event in which he participated upon the occasion of the Olympic Games Beijing 2008
The IOC said that “the Jamaica team is disqualified” and “the corresponding medals, medalist pins and diplomas are withdrawn and shall be returned”.
The relay team also broke the world record in the race, setting a time of 37.10 seconds, although it has since been broken again by the Jamaicans and therefore does not need to the voided.
In a statement released, the IOC said; “The athlete, Nesta Carter is found to have committed an anti-doping rule violation pursuant to the IOC Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing in 2008, is disqualified from the men’s 4x100m relay event in which he participated upon the occasion of the Olympic Games Beijing 2008.”
In response to the disqualification of the relay team Bolt, 30, described the situation as “heartbreaking,” but it is one of those things, he told JR Communications in Kingston, Jamaica last week.
Trinidad and Tobago, which placed second in the event, had its silver medal upgraded to gold. Brazil, which ended up in fourth has moved up to third place and will now collect the bronze medal.
