The American middle-distance runner Shannon Rowbury will finally become an Olympic medalist – 12 years after competing at the London 2012 Olympics. Shannon Rowbury is due for bronze after several competitors in the women’s 1,500m final were disqualified for doping.
The American middle-distance runner originally finished sixth, but must now will be promoted to third following last month’s Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decision to disqualify Tatyana Tomashova’s competition results between June 2012 and January 2015 after testing for anabolic steroids.
Shannon Rowbury is still unsure when or if her bronze medal will be reallocated, as the International Olympic Committee has final approval to reallocate medals that have been awarded at the time. While she knows it will never give her back the experience of the Olympic podium, nor the benefits that come with being an Olympic medalist, Shannon Rowbury says she feels justice has finally been served.
“This is some of the best news I have received in many years. A lot of tears shed in the past leading up to this, but also a lot of excitement. I thought justice would never prevail”, said Shannon Rowbury.
The 2012 Olympic women’s 1,500m was infamous even before the latest CAS decision. Five of the thirteen athletes, including gold and silver medalists Asli Çakir Alptekin and Gamze Bulut, were disqualified in the competition, which is considered one of the “dirtiest” in the history of athletics.
Tatyana Tomashova served a two-year doping ban that expired two years before London 2012.
“The fact that she was even on the starting line was crazy. It just sickened me that there could be so much corruption and fraud in our sport”, said Shannon Rowbury.
After the scandal, Shannon Rowbury continued to compete on the world stage until 2021, including another Olympics. Feeling heartbroken, she was unable to muster the passion she had for the sport after all.
“It was another stab in the heart. I’ve had my heart broken so many times by the same thing that I just couldn’t get up for a fight that felt staged”, said also Shannon Rowbury.
The IOC has not yet confirmed whether CAS’ decision will result in a re-allocation. The organization said in a statement that redistribution requests are made to the IOC Executive Board after athletes and sanctioning nations have exhausted all appeals and the sport’s international governing body, World Athletics, has adjusted the results. Tomashova has until October 3 to appeal the CAS decision.
