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IOC strips Bolt of Olympic gold in wake of his teammate’s positive doping test

The IOC Executive Board convened a special session last year to discuss efforts of stepping up the fight against doping

Usain Bolt EPA/SEBASTIEN NOGIER

Usain Bolt

© EPA/SEBASTIEN NOGIER

MOSCOW, January 25. /TASS/. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced its decision on Wednesday to strip world’s legendary sprinter from Jamaica, Usaine Bolt, of the 2008 Olympics gold medal in 4X100 meters relay after the doping sample reanalysis of his teammate Nesta Carter tested positive for a banned performance enhancing substance.

"Nesta Carter, 31, of Jamaica, competing in the men’s 4x100m relay event [round 1 and final] in which he and his teammates ranked 1st and for which they were awarded the gold medal, has been disqualified from the Olympic Games Beijing 2008," the IOC said in its statement.

"Re-analysis of Carter’s samples from Beijing 2008 resulted in a positive test for the prohibited substance methylhexaneamine," the statement said.

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The IOC ruled that Nesta Carter "is disqualified from the men’s 4x100m relay event in which he participated upon the occasion of the Olympic Games Beijing 2008" and "the Jamaican team is disqualified from the men’s 4x100m relay event."

"The corresponding medals, medallist pins and diplomas are withdrawn and shall be returned," the IOC statement added.

The silver of the 2008 Olympics 4x100 sprint relay went to the national team of Trinidad and Tobago, the bronze was clinched by team Great Britain and Japan finished in the fourth place. The medals will be reallocated following today’s suspension of Jamaica.

The IOC Executive Board convened a special session last year on May 17 discussing efforts of stepping up the fight against the drugs cheats and furnish measures to protect clean athletes ahead of the Olympics in Rio. As part of its anti-doping efforts, IOC ordered reanalysis of doping samples of athletes from 2008 Olympics in Beijing and 2012 Olympics in London.

Following two rounds of re-testing, 98 Olympians were reported to test positive for banned substances - 60 from the 2008 Games and 38 from the 2012 Games. Among them were over 25 medalists from both Olympics.

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International Olympic Committee Doping

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