Russian hurdler loses 2012 gold after doping ban

Banned Russian athlete and Olympic 400m hurdles champion Natalia Antyukh will lose her gold medal from London 2012 after she did not appeal her doping ban, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said on Wednesday.

The 41-year-old won the 400m hurdles title at the 2012 Games, defeating American Lashinda Demus, who will be upgraded to gold once the International Olympic Committee (IOC) acts on the AIU ruling.

In October, the AIU disqualified Antyukh’s results from July 2012-June 2013 “for the use of a prohibited substance/method.” The ruling became final and binding with the athlete not appealing the decision within the stipulated 45 days.

“The IOC may now proceed with the reallocation of medals and the update of the IOC database,” the AIU’s correspondence noted to the IOC.

Antyukh is serving a four-year ban until 2025 for breaking anti-doping rules. The ruling was handed down last year by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Several Russian athletes have had their medals from the 2012 Games stripped due to anti-doping rule violations.