Murad Gaidarov accepts 2008 Beijing silver medal

On June, 26, the Beijing Olympic Champion Murad Gaidarov was awarded silver medal during the wrestling tournament at the 2nd European Games.

In august, 2008 Murad claimed bronze in Men’s 74kg weight category. However, following the retesting of the doping samples, the results of Uzbekistan’s Soslan Tigiev were annulled and silver went to the Belarusian athlete.

The medal was awarded by the EOC President Janez Kocijančič. He noted that: «Today, we witnessed an extraordinary situation. During a meeting in Lausanne Thomas Bach asked me to award this medal. IOC supports the principle of zero tolerance to doping, we are for the clean sports. If we face positive doping samples, we reanalyze it. In my opinion, you deserve this Beijing 2008 award. It is particularly pleasant to present the medal here, in Belarus».

Murad Gaidarov: «This was the decision of the International Olympic Committee, which I cannot but agree with. It’s nice to accept the medal here, at home. Few months ago I won the Belarusian tournament and was preparing for the European Championship but injured my knee. So I had to take a pause to recover. Now I’m back into my trainings and tournaments. I plan to take part in the upcoming World Championship in Kazakhstan

I don’t have much joy. If it were gold it would have been far better. There isn’t much of a difference between bronze and silver. But everything’s up to God. It’s been 11 years since the Olympic Games now, so what can you say. I thank the Almighty for being able to claim a medal,» he adds. 

Belarusian athletes won 13 medals (3-4-6) at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Press Service of the NOC Belarus

Photos: Denis Kostyuchenko