IOC decision in the case of Mr Antonio Pettigrew
The Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), meeting today in Beijing at its final meeting before the 2008 Olympic Games, has reached a decision in the case of Mr. Antonio Pettigrew, a member of the US team who placed first in the Mens 4x400 relay at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Mr Pettigrew has since admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs while competing in Sydney and subsequently returned his medal.
Further to the recommendations of the IOC Disciplinary Commission, the EB has disqualified Mr Pettigrew from the events in which he competed at the 2000 Olympic Games (4x400m relay, 1st place team, and 400m, 7th place). Mr Pettigrew is now ineligible for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and further sanctions may be taken against him pending the outcome of the ongoing BALCO investigation.
In a related decision, Mr Pettigrew’s teammates in the US Mens 4x400m Relay team suffered as a result of his doping offence, as the team were formally disqualified from the 4x400 meters relay event at the 2000 Olympic Games. All medals and diplomas awarded to the team must now be returned to the IOC, via the US Olympic Committee. A decision on reallocating the medals and diplomas of those affected by these decisions will be made at a future meeting of the IOC Executive Board.
The full texts of both decisions are available here:
Doping is a serious threat to the integrity of sport. Mr Pettigrew’s case illustrates that, by choosing to dope, an athlete also jeopardizes his own and his teammates’ achievements.
ENDS
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