Usain Bolt is no longer a triple-triple Olympic champion after his Jamaican sprint relay team-mate Nesta Carter was disqualified from the 2008 Games for failing a drugs test.
The 31-year-old Carter ran the first leg in the 4×100 metres relay in Beijing, helping Jamaica to a new world record of 37.10 seconds and Bolt to his third Olympic gold medal.
But the International Olympic Committee has now stripped the Jamaicans of that victory after a re-analysis of Carter’s anti-doping sample tested positive for the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine.
The IOC says ‘the Jamaican team is disqualified,’ and ‘the corresponding medals, medalist pins and diplomas are withdrawn and shall be returned.’
With Carter, 31, confirmed as a drugs cheat, all four men in the team lose their gold medal although there is no suggestion the others have done anything wrong.
Speaking last year, Bolt said the possibility of losing his medal was ‘heartbreaking’. ‘I’m not too pleased about the situation,’ Bolt said.
‘For years you’ve worked hard to accumulate gold medals and you work hard to be a champion, so it’s heartbreaking, but it’s one of those things. ‘If I have to give back my gold medal, I’ll have to give it back.’
Trinidad & Tobago have now been awarded the 2008 relay gold, with Japan upgraded to silver and Brazil given bronze.
