Kelly Sotherton; the former British Heptathlete has finally received her Bronze medal from the 2008 Beijing Olympics after ten years.
Sotherton actually finished in fifth place but as a result of disqualifications of Ukraine’s Lyudmila and Russia’s Tatiana Chernova in doping charges was moved up to third place after the re-testing of the samples.
On Thursday this was the second time a Beijing medal had been handed down and to Sotherton who won her first Beijing Relay Bronze medal last year after disqualification of Chernova.
Sotherton told the media that, “I am having mixed emotions. I defiantly have more happy tears than sad ones. I think my mind is channeling the feelings of what I would have done if I won these medals in Beijing ten years ago. I was going for the Gold. I was fifth but then I was made fourth and now a Bronze. But I am still happy to come out with an Olympic medal. They are really hard to come by. It is little bittersweet but more sweet right now.”
Russia who has been previously banned from entering the 2016 Rio Olympics could be reinstated for the 2020 Olympics as the news will arrive later month.
When media asked Sotherton as to whether they should be reinstated or not? She said, “If they tick every box and show remorse for their previous action then definitely yes. If they are not going to tick every box then they should just pout their hands up and say ‘We have done this and we were not as good as others’. I am sure they are not going to tick every box. If you are caught taking drugs, you get banned for Two-four years and during this time you will be tested continually to see if you are still not taking these drugs”.
She ended the interview with saying that, “if they are reinstated and for which I am hopeful, this what WADA will keep doing to Russia”.
Sotherton I also the winner of a bronze medal in 2004 Athens Olympics.
