BRUSSELS - The Belgian relay quartet of Kim Gevaert, Elodie Ouedraogo, Hanna Marien and Olivia Borlee on Friday belatedly received gold medals from the 2008 Olympics after a Russian sprinter tested positive for drugs.
Belgium's Hanna Marien, Olivia Borlee, Elodie Ouedraogo and Kim Gevaert celebrate after winning silver in the women's 4×100m relay final at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in 2008
Belgium were upgraded to gold after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stripped Russia of its gold medal in the women's 4x100m relay after Yulia Chermoshanskaya tested positive for the steroids stanozolol and turinabol in a re-analysis of her doping samples.
"Congratulations to Belgium," said Sebastian Coe, president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), as the Belgians received their medals from ex-IOC chief Jacques Rogge at a packed King Baudouin Stadium.
"The medal reallocation process has been expedited to ensure that the rightful Beijing 2008 Olympic relay gold medallists were properly honoured at Belgium's and IAAF Diamond League's annual athletics finale.
"It shows what can be achieved and we will endeavour to ensure these processes are generally accelerated in the future."
Nigeria were upgraded to silver and Brazil bronze in the medal re-shuffle.