USA men's 4x100 relay team stripped off 2012 London Olympics silver

Tyson Gay (2nd from right) was part of the USA men’s 4x100 relay team which finished 2nd at the London Olympics

The USA men’s sprint relay team has been stripped off the silver medal it won back in 2012 at the London Olympics. This decision comes due to the doping case on one of the members of the team, Tyson Gay, who recently accepted a one-year suspension.

Two officials, on condition of anonymity told The Associated Press of the decision. They said that the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) has been notified by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) via a letter about the disqualification of the 4x100 relay team. The letter asks the USOC to collect and return the medals won by the team.

The rules state that the entire team can be disqualified because of any doping by a single member. Gay was part of the American team which set a national record with a time of 37.04 seconds en route to finishing second, behind gold medal winners Jamaica.

The six-member American team included Justin Gatlin, Trell Kimmons, Ryan Bailey, Darvis Patton and Jeffery Demps apart from the offender, Gay. Gatlin, Kimmons, Bailey and Gay ran in the final.

Gay was accused of doping at the U.S. championships in 2013 when he tested positive for steroids. However, for his co-operation with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, he received a reduced 1-year sentence while his former coach Jon Drummond was banned for 8 years.

All of the American sprinter’s results from the date he first used a banned substance – 15th July, 2012 – have been annulled.

Trinidad and Tobago, who ran the race in 38.12 seconds, would replace the United States as the silver medal winners, while France, who finished on 38.16 seconds, would be promoted to the podium and receive the bronze medal.

The USOC released the following statement regarding the disqualification:

"As expected, following USADA's decision in the Tyson Gay case, the IOC today confirmed that the U.S. team has been disqualified from the 4x100-meter race that was part of the athletics competition at the London 2012 Olympic Games. We will begin efforts to have the medals returned, and support all measures to protect clean athletes."