NIGERIA WINS GOLD IN SYDNEY 2000 OLYPICS

 Nigeria was re-awarded gold medal in the men’s 4x400m relay team that represented the country at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. The Nigerian team that comprised late Sunday Bada, Jude Money, Enefiok Udo-Obong and Clement Chukwu, had finished second position at the games but it was upgraded to first position after a member of the USA team, Antonio Pettigrew, that won the race, confessed to have used performance enhancing drugs. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) sent a letter to the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC) saying they were sending a gold medal to Enefiok Udo-Obong. “I am pleased to send you this Olympic Gold for Mr. Enefiok Udo-Obong, who was part of your men’s 4x400m now placed first in the athletic men’s 4x400 meters relay event at the Games of the XXVII Olympiad Sydney 2000”. It was learnt that the other three athletes are yet return their silver medals as demanded in exchange for the gold.

The IOC Executive Board re-awarded the medals three years after they had decided to disqualify US because late Antonio Pettigrew had confessed to have used banned performance enhancing drugs at the time the team won the Olympic gold medal. Nigeria was elevated to the top position, Jamaica and Bahamas were promoted to silver and bronze respectively.

“Pettigrew was disqualified in August 2008 but the Executive Board delayed a decision on reallocation until it had received information stemming from investigation into the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO) sport-doping scandal” said a statement from the IOC.