10 Athletes Who Were Stripped of Their Olympic Medals

The Olympic Games are the pinnacle of athletic achievement, where the world’s best compete for glory. However, for some athletes, the dream of standing atop the podium was overshadowed by controversies leading to the revocation of their medals. Here are ten notable cases where athletes lost their Olympic medals.

1. Jim Thorpe (USA, 1912) – Decathlon & Pentathlon Gold

Jim Thorpe, a Native American athlete, won gold in both the decathlon and pentathlon at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics. However, it was later revealed that he had played semi-professional baseball before the Games, violating the amateurism rules of the time. Consequently, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stripped him of his medals. In 1982, the IOC reinstated Thorpe’s medals, acknowledging the injustice.

2. Marion Jones (USA, 2000) – Three Gold & Two Bronze

American sprinter Marion Jones won five medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. In 2007, she admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs during the Games. The IOC subsequently stripped her of all her medals, making her one of the most prominent athletes to lose Olympic honors due to doping .

3. Dong Fangxiao (China, 2000) – Gymnastics Team Bronze

Chinese gymnast Dong Fangxiao competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics when she was just 14 years old, below the minimum age requirement of 16. In 2010, the IOC discovered her age falsification and disqualified her, leading to the revocation of China’s team bronze medal.

4. Alain Baxter (UK, 2002) – Alpine Skiing Bronze

British skier Alain Baxter secured a bronze medal in the slalom at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. However, he tested positive for a banned substance found in a Vicks inhaler purchased in the U.S. The IOC initially stripped him of his medal, but later reinstated it after considering his unintentional violation.

5. Rick DeMont (USA, 1972) – 400m Freestyle Gold

American swimmer Rick DeMont won gold in the 400m freestyle at the 1972 Munich Olympics. His victory was marred when a post-race drug test revealed traces of an asthma medication he had been prescribed. Despite informing officials about his medication, the IOC stripped him of his medal, a decision that remains controversial.

6. Ara Abrahamian (Sweden, 2008) – Wrestling Bronze

Swedish wrestler Ara Abrahamian placed third in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Dissatisfied with the refereeing in his semifinal match, he placed his bronze medal on the mat and walked off during the ceremony. The IOC subsequently stripped him of his medal for unsportsmanlike conduct.

7. Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan, 2008 & 2012) – Wrestling Golds

Uzbek wrestler Artur Taymazov won gold in the 120kg freestyle category at both the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics. Retesting of his samples revealed banned substances, leading the IOC to strip him of both medals in 2017 and 2019, respectively.

8. Adrián Annus (Hungary, 2004) – Hammer Throw Gold

Hungarian hammer thrower Adrián Annus clinched gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics. However, discrepancies in his urine samples indicated tampering. The IOC stripped him of his medal, and he was banned for two years after refusing to comply with a doping test.

9. Maxim Vylegzhanin (Russia, 2014) – Cross-Country Skiing Medals

Russian skier Maxim Vylegzhanin secured three silver medals at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Due to doping violations, the IOC initially stripped him of all his medals. However, after an appeal, the Court of Arbitration for Sport reinstated his results in 2018.

10. Elena Nikitina (Russia, 2014) – Skeleton Bronze

Russian skeleton racer Elena Nikitina earned a bronze medal at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. In 2017, the IOC disqualified her for doping violations and imposed a lifetime ban from Olympic competition, leading to the forfeiture of her medal.