The IOC Executive Board, meeting on Thursday, officially decided to reallocate several medals following the Russian biathlete Evgeny Ustyugov tests positive for dopingThe consequences are significant since Ustyugov had mounted three times on an Olympic podiumHe won gold in the mass start and bronze in the relay in Vancouver. Four years later, in Sochi, he was part of the Russian relay team that won the Olympic title.
With his disqualification, Martin Fourcade recovers the gold of the mass start and therefore a sixth Olympic titleThe Frenchman joins a very closed circle since he is only the seventh athlete to win six gold medals at the Winter GamesSlovakia's Pavol Hurajt saw his bronze medal upgraded to silver, and Austria's Christoph Sumann took third place on the podium. The Swedish relay team from Vancouver, composed of Fredrik Lindström, Carl Johan Bergman, Mattias Nilsson, and Björn Ferry, also won bronze.
The Sochi relay podium was completely shaken up: Simon Schempp's Germany took gold, Austria silver and Norway bronze. Ole Einar Bjørndalen thus wins his 14th Olympic medal. and consolidates her status as the most decorated biathlete in history. Across all sports, only Norway's Marit Bjørgen has done better with 15 podium finishes. The IOC has expressed the wish " that eligible athletes receive their Olympic medals in conditions that truly pay tribute to their achievements ". A award ceremony could be organized on the sidelines of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Games.
