By Noel ‘Bravo’ Francis, Special to TrackAlerts.Com
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today outlined the rules regarding the punishment of TEAM U.S.A’s men’s 4x100m at the London Olympics. Tyson Gay, the joint second fastest man of all time, who tested positive for a banned substance outside of competition on May 16, 2013 and during the US Championships in June 2013 triggered the team’s disqualification.
The release states, following the sanctions received by Tyson Gay from USA Track and Field (USATF), and based upon the rules of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the USA men’s 4 x 100m relay team, composed of Kennith Ryan Bailey, Jeffery Demps, Justin Gatlin, Tyson Gay, David Petrell Kimmons and Darvis Patton, who won silver at the 2012 London Olympic Games, has been disqualified.
The sanctions issued by the USATF were as follows:
(i) A one-year period of ineligibility commencing on 23 June 2013, in accordance with IAAF Rule 40.2.
(ii) Disqualification of all Tyson Gay’s results since and including 15 July 2012, in accordance with IAAF Rule 40.8.
As this disqualification period covers the 2012 London Olympic Games, the IAAF has informed the IOC that, according to its rules, the team must automatically be disqualified.
More specifically, according to IAAF Rule 41.3(a), “the results of any relay team in which the Athlete competed from the date the positive Sample was collected or other violation occurred through to the commencement of any Provisional Suspension or Ineligibility period shall be disqualified, with all resulting consequences for the relay team, including the forfeiture of all titles, awards, medals, points and prize money”.
The IOC has requested that the silver medals and diplomas be returned; and the results of the 2012 London Olympic Games will be modified by the IAAF.
Some information inside this story was obtained from the Olympic.org website, the official website of the Olympic movement.
