Trinidad and Tobago’s 4x100m relay men are expected to receive their 2012 Olympic silver medals at the end of this month.
So says Brian Lewis, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTO C), who revealed that the medals are already on local soil and will soon be presented to recipients Richard ‘Torpedo’ Thompson, Keston Bledman, Emmanuel Callender and Marc Burns.
On May 13 of last year, United States who initially won silver behind Jamaica, were disqualified following the one year suspension of team member Tyson Gay after he tested positive for anabolic steroids in 2013. At the London Games, TT placed third, but have now been been bumped into the silver medal position while France move up from fourth into third.
“They (Olympic silver) have been here for a little while but the International Olympic Committee would have stressed in their communication with us that the silver medals should be awarded at an appropriate presentation for the athletes,” Lewis explained. “We have to look at an appropriate time and window when all four athletes are in Trinidad and Tobago at the same time.” According to the TTO C boss, should receive their medal upgrade just around or after the NAAA National Track and Field Championships (June 24-26). They are all expected to be in TT to participate.
In related news just three days ago, Jamaican Nesta Carter’s retested ‘A’ sample from the 2008 Beijing Olympics was found to contain the banned substance methylhexanamine.
Eight years ago, Carter ran Jamaica’s opening leg of his country’s golden and world record-breaking (37.10s) Men’s 4x100m Relay showing, beating to the line eventual silver medallists, TT . Although still under investigation by the IOC and the World Anti-Doping Agency, Carter could face sanctions only if his ‘B’ sample also tests positive for the substance. If he does in fact tests positive once more, the entire Jamaica team (Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell, Micahel Frater, Carter) will be stripped of their medal, paving way for another TT medal upgrade; this time into top spot.
On the latest advancements pertaining to this matter, Lewis stated, “I don’t anticipate that is going to be a matter resolved in a short order.
Our focus remains on the issues we currently have on our table. June is what we call Olympic month.”