Christine Girard finished third for a bronze medal at the London Olympics in 2012. Blood samples were tested again using evolved procedures and the gold and silver medalists from Kazakhstan and Russia were found to be positive for steroids. The subsequent qualifications retroactively moved Christine Girard up into the gold medal position.
This was not Christine's first such experience. At the 2008 Bejing Olympics she finished fourth. Another retroactive drug disqualification belatedly bumped her up to the 3rd place bronze medal position.
Blood and urine samples collected from competitors at major championships are tested and then frozen and stored. Samples are then retested years later using more advanced technology.
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| Bronze medal in this competition. |
This is not the first time that this has happened to Canadian Olympians. In the 2002 winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, cross country skier Beckie Scott won Canada's first ever Olympic
medal in that sport by snatching a bronze for 3rd place. Both athletes ahead of her failed follow up doping tests. Beckie was eventually moved up to a silver medal and then a gold medal position almost 2 and 1/2 years later.
Shot putter Dylan Armstrong finished 4th at the 2008 Beijing summer games. He was upgraded to a bronze in 2013 after another former east block country member was caught positive on a enhanced doping test at a later date.
Shot putter Dylan Armstrong finished 4th at the 2008 Beijing summer games. He was upgraded to a bronze in 2013 after another former east block country member was caught positive on a enhanced doping test at a later date.
"Better late than never!" some may say. Justice sometimes proceeds at its own place. However besides having to wait for the truth to prevail there are other disadvantages to getting your just rewards retroactively.
- The athlete is denied the actual moment of glory. Receiving the accolades at the time of victory in front of a cheering crowd always trumps a conciliatory victory ceremony later on.
- The fair playing competitor may lose out on funding from the national sports association and//or sponsorship money. These are usually performance based.
- The cheated competitor will usually recoup the national sports association funding but until justice prevails they are out of pocket. This is often needed funding for training and living expenses.
- The aggrieved athlete can lose out on endorsement deals. Many sports are only in the limelight during the Olympic period. If the athlete does not strike when the iron is hot these deals are history. Re-allocated success after the fact rarely brings about the same financial opportunity.
Nevertheless, congratulations and kudos are in order for Christine Girard. She is the only Canadian woman Olympic medalist in the sport of weight lifting.
In 2018 Beckie Scott resigned as a member of WADA , the World Anti Doping Agency. She disagreed with the WADA decision to reinstate the Russian Doping Agency after a ban for covering up a Russian state sponsored doping program. I would say that Beckie has good reason for her stance.
In 2018 Beckie Scott resigned as a member of WADA , the World Anti Doping Agency. She disagreed with the WADA decision to reinstate the Russian Doping Agency after a ban for covering up a Russian state sponsored doping program. I would say that Beckie has good reason for her stance.
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| Gold medal this time. |
Weight lifters have have always been subjects of both my admiration and envy. As a former middle distance runner, I am probably composed of roughly 50% fast twitch muscle fiber and 50% slow twitch muscle fiber. World class weight lifters are fast twitch fiber phenomenons! They have superhuman explosive muscle power as well as expert technique and coordination. Alas, it also makes it a sport in which the use of performance enhancing drugs such as steroids would give an advantageous boost. Sports that are rife with such doping also have enhanced qualification standards as a result of skewed statistics. That makes it difficult for 'natty' (natural) athletes to even qualify for world championships or Olympics.
Coincidentally, I was just about to post this blog when I came across a timely news flash. Five weight lifters from former Soviet states tested positive for steroids in retests from the 2012 London Olympics.Two of these doping positives were with gold medal winners. More early Christmas presents for weight lifters who had to wait!
Coincidentally, I was just about to post this blog when I came across a timely news flash. Five weight lifters from former Soviet states tested positive for steroids in retests from the 2012 London Olympics.Two of these doping positives were with gold medal winners. More early Christmas presents for weight lifters who had to wait!
Keep Fit over the Christmas Holidays
Little Bobby Strong
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