Athletics: British relay returns Olympic silver from Tokyo 2021 because of doping

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Chijindu Ujah

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Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Britain's men's 4x100m relay team has been forced to return their silver medals from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games following doping by sprinter Chijindu Ujah.

This was announced by the British Athletics Association.

"We are very saddened to have to reclaim the medals, certificates and pins, particularly for the three athletes who were injured through no fault of their own," British FA chief executive Andy Anson said in a statement.

"However, we must comply with the CAS ruling, just as we have made it clear to other nations whose athletes have violated doping rules that this must happen."

Ujah and teammates Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake finished second to Italy in August last year.

However, traces of the banned substances ostarine and S-23 were found in 28-year-old Ujah shortly after the games.

As a result, he was initially temporarily suspended by the independent integrity committee of the World Athletics Association (AIU).

The medals must now be handed in by the whole team.

Ujah denies knowingly doping

Ujah then did not challenge the anti-doping rule violation, arguing that the positive test was caused by ingestion of a contaminated drug.

He "neither knowingly nor intentionally doped."

The International Court of Arbitration for Sport ordered the return of the medals.

Silver now goes to the Canadians who placed third in the race, bronze to China.

It was "heartbreaking for Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake and Zharnel Hughes, but especially for Richard Kilty, who only competed in Tokyo," says Andy Anson.

The relay in Tokyo was surprisingly won by Italy.

After Lamont Marcell Jacobs had already sensationally become Olympic champion in the sprint over the 100 meters, he came first with his teammate Lorenzo Patta, Eseosa Desalu and Filippo Tortu as a team.

It was the first time ever that Italy won gold in the relay.

ara/Reuters