Since the 2024 Olympic Games have concluded, gymnast Jordan Chiles has been the talk of this year’s event. While Chiles had an impressive performance in Paris, securing an all-around gold medal with the rest of the U.S.A. gymnastics team and a bronze medal in the floor competition, her successful run was quickly overshadowed by controversy.
On August 5th, Chiles earned the bronze medal, but just five days later, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled in favor of two Romanian gymnasts, Ana Barbosu and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea, who originally finished in fourth and fifth place. The Romanian Olympic Committee argued that Chiles’ coach had submitted a difficulty score inquiry past the one-minute deadline. Currently, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) is appealing the decision.
While this situation is still unfolding, the stripping of Olympic medals is not unheard of. Athletes have lost their medals for various reasons, including failed drug tests or the use of prohibited substances. Below is a list of athletes who have faced this unfortunate fate.
Marion Jones, 2000 Sydney Olympics
Former track & field runner Marion Jones was a participant in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and claimed three gold and two bronze medals. Jones secured her titles in the 100 meters, 200 meters, the 4×400 meter relay, the long jump, and the 4×100 meter relay. But, things took a turn in October 2007 when Jones admitted to lying to a grand jury about her use of performance-enhancing drugs. Two months later, the IOC took away Jones’ medals, and she was sentenced to six months in prison.
Lance Armstrong, 2000 Sydney Olympics
During the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Lance Armstrong snagged the bronze medal after he finished third in the men’s individual road cycling time trial. 13 years later, Armstrong has his medal removed after admitting to using performance-enhancing drugs during his career. Seeing as though the decision came over a decade later, the situation was one of the most discussed conversations in the sports world and led to Armstrong receiving a lifetime ban from the Olympic competition. Armstrong not only had his Olympic medal taken away but also his Tour de France titles and other accolades earned since 1998.
Carl Lewis, 1988 Seoul Olympics
Carl Lewis’ medal strip works out to his advantage. Marking his name in history as one of the only athletes to win nine Olympic medals, Carl Lewis and his gold medal became the talk of the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games for unusual reasons. Initially, Lewis came in second place in the 100-meter race, with Ben Johnson taking home the gold. However, Johnson later failed a drug test and was disqualified. The gold medal was then awarded to Lewis, who originally earned the silver medal.
Jim Thorpe, 1912 Stockholm Olympics
Known as one of the greatest athletes of his time, Jim Thorpe made history after becoming the first Native American to secure an Olympic Gold medal for the United States during the 1912 Stockholm Olympics. Thorpe snagged the first-place spot in both the pentathlon and decathlon. Unfortunately, the following year, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stripped Thorpe of his accolades and removed his records due to his playing two seasons of semi-professional baseball, which violated the strict Victorian-era rules of amateurism. Luckily, more than 70 years and three decades after Thorpe’s death, his medals were restored in 1982.
Rick DeMont, 1972 Munich Olympics
Former competitive swimmer Rick DeMont initially took home the gold medal in the men’s 400-meter freestyle at the 1972 Munich Olympics. However, the IOC removed his medal later on after DeMont failed a post-race drug test and tested positive for a banned substance. At the time, DeMont, who had asthma, was using Marax, a medication containing ephedrine, to manage his symptoms prior to the race. Despite being open about his use of Marax, the U.S. medical team did not verify if the medication contained any banned substances. In the end, DeMont filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Olympic Committee for mishandling the situation and being the reason why his medal was stripped away. Although DeMont attempted to fight the decision, her efforts were not enough, and his medal was never reinstated.
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