Commonwealth Games – positive doping test adds to 100m controversy
It must be the most controversial race of the Commonwealth Games.
First came Australian Sally Pearson’s belated disqualification for a false start in the women’s 100 metres, a ruling that promoted Nigeria’s Oludamola Osayemi into the gold medal position and now Osayemi has tested positive for a banned substance, the stimulant methylhexaneamine.
The Nigerian team has now asked for her B sample to be tested, with the final result of that doping test expected to be known on Wednesday morning, local time.
Should that sample uphold the results of the original, a third – and one would hope final – athlete will be awarded the gold, with St Vincent and the Grenadines sprinter Natasha Mayers in line to be promoted from celebrating a bronze medal straight after the race, to becoming the second gold medallist for her country in the history of the Commonwealth Games.
It would also promote England’s Katherine Endacott into a silver medal spot, after team England lodged the original protest that saw their runner claim bronze and Pearson left without a medal to show for her efforts.
Perhaps it is Pearson’s story that provides the one shining light from the whole sorry debacle: yes, she broke (incidentally behind England’s other runner in the event) in one of the earlier attempts to get the race underway, but was initially allowed to run.
After crossing the line first the 24-year-old was allowed to celebrate her win with a victory lap before the decision of her qualification came through after a relatively lengthy deliberation.
Reports were that Pearson, surely still raw from the decision to strip her of the gold, approached England officials on the athletes’ bus and told them there were no hard feelings for what had happened.
It was, in the circumstances, perhaps one of the great stories of sportsmanship that will come out of the Games.
Still, Pearson’s favourite event was yet to come: and there were no controversies this time around as the Beijing silver-medallist secured the gold in the 100 metres hurdles in a Commonwealth Games record of 12.67.
It’s a result that will surely have allowed Pearson closure on the whole sorry situation, but for the athletes still waiting to hear the final outcome of last week’s 100 metres final the uncertainty is set to stretch on for another couple of days.
Tags: