Andreea Raducan is the 2000 Women’s Olympic Gymnastics Champion.
That’s what I believe. That’s what everyone believes.
After the meet Andreea tested positive for pseudophedrine. (Her team doctor prescribed Nurofen, a common over-the-counter medication. Amânar took it as well, but did not test positive. There is no performance enhancement for gymnasts.)
The gold was re-awarded to Amânar, Olaru was promoted to silver, and former fourth-place finisher Liu Xuan from China was given the bronze medal.
All three declined to attend the ceremony where the Olympic medals were re-awarded.
It was one of the most distasteful injustices in Olympic history. And I can’t wait to read all about it in Andreea’s new book – “The Other Side of The Medal”
I’ll learn Romanian, if I must. This is going to be a terrific read. (Seems there’s some hold up at the publisher. Something to do with the photos.)
Unfortunately, Andreea says she was too young in Sydney to really know what was happening. She has to rely on coaches and others for the details on that chapter.
But since she’s now a journalist. With media training. I’m thinking it’s going to be excellent.
(via fangymnastics and Gymnastics – No Ceiling)
Celebrate the book launch with an Andreea montage by nade00.
10 comments ↓
I think Andreea will publish an english version too.
Excellent.
Unlike you all, I absolutely think we need to “lop heads” when someone is drug positive.
1. If someone does not “know the rules”, well some lopped heads will quickly drive them to learn them. On the other hand, even on cases like this, will lead to a culture of corruption.
2. Remember that gym has a history of “score cheating”, that sports in general have a long history of drug use for amateur success, and that many East European nations innovated in the use of drugs. I don’t think that gym is more morally “pure”. If drugs are less used, it may be because of inefficacy. But not because gymnasts are “nicer” than runners or lifters. If drugs exist (or are developed) that give a performance advantage, our sport is in danger of them becoming used.
3. Realize that drug detection has tended to lag usage. Later studies have often shown that sports had MORE drug usage than known at the time, when more sophisticated tests came into play later, when we learned some of the tricks athletes were using to elude detection. We really need to be super strict, not “soft”, if we want to keep gym clean. Keep it cleaner than other sports. (With that in mind, I was very disappointed that Sacramone and Dragulescu disclosure lapses were allowed. We really need to be strict on technicalities as part of a general ethic.)
4. Recall the long drug story of Lance Armstrong and how it has evolved. For a long time, he dismissed these stories as did the popular press dismiss. Public opinion firmly beleive Saint Lance (piercing diseases with and in the vicinity of his…”lance”) would never dope. However, more and more people are coming forward now, to the extent where polls actually show most of the public thinks he doped now.
And realize that Lance Armstrong DID FAIL a doping test: corticosteroids. He was excused the lapse as he (said he) had taken saddle sore medication. However, such medication is supposed to be disclosed ahead of time, not after. And so not discipling him was a lapse and allowed the sport to become even more doper-dominated, to the point where serious journalists following TdF, etc. say that “most of the peleton is doped”. Also recall that Lance DID test positive for EPO c. 1999, however, this was discovered long after the fact, when old samples were retested, as at the time, the drug was not detectable.
The most unfair thing about it is that drug is no longer on the banned substances list. The FIG needs to give that medal back to Andreea! She won it fair and square.
I wonder why Simona didn’t test positive. Perhaps because she probably weighed a little more since she was a lot taller than Andreea?
Yes. And yes. … It would be the IOC to return the medal, though.
As much as it frightens me, I agree with Poly on this.
Pseudophedrine was put back on the prohibited list this year “when its concentration in urine is greater than 150 micrograms per milliliter.”
Would everyone who wanted the IOC to return the medal when the drug was taken off the list want it taken away again (if Raducan’s tested level was above the acceptable limit)?
I don’t necessarily agree that athletes in any one sport should have to follow the same set of restrictions for all others, but if those are the rules in place, I have no problem with them being followed.
The Romanians cheated and they got caught. The coaches knew it was against the rules to take any medicine and they did it anyway. They got what they deserved. Sorry Andreea but blame your coaches.
[...] we’re on all things Romanian, Andreea also has a new book out. Read more about it on Gymnastics Coaching or visit Andreea’s [...]
Hm, assuming Alu, Polly, and AJ are russian fans, considering Russia was the ones that had her tested the first time. They dont accept anything less then gold, well Aiyla (World Champion 2010), is one of my fav. gymnast and from russia, but she plays fair. Unlike the russian team of 2000. TBH, im kind of shocked that they didnt have every gymnast that placed ahead of them tested, and then had them DQ for no reason. What you russians dont relize, is that after they knew she tested positive, they went ahead and LET her compete, and when she won the gold, they then DQ her? Total BS. Then, 2 years later, unbanned the substance. So no, Romania DIDNT cheat Alu, now since you like to hate why dont you go back in time, work your whole life for your dream, then take a COLD pill from someone you TRUST, and watch your dream get ripped apart at age 16. Then come back and say you cheated. Get your facts straight. I like Russian gymnastics, dont get me wrong, but 2000 was a disgrace. And the russians werent happy with the medal they got so they destroyed her dream, and to top it off, Andreea has haters like you who probably wouldnt make it passed cheerleading, let alone any level in gymnastics. As for AJ and Polly, please, how did it help her? She didnt know, and they unbanned it 2 years later. Let me guess, Russian gymnastics was the best thing that ever happened? Please, russia is just starting coming around. Ever since Nadia helped Romania beat the USSR after montreal have they been happy with less then gold and have they not caused a problem in gymnastics. ESPECIALLY in Sydney and Atlanta, please, tearing a dream apart, and returning your silver medal because you arent happy, and you think you deserve gold? Bull.
[...] true winner of the 2000 Olympics, Andreea R?ducan, has released an autobiography. In [...]
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