It’s official – Loughnane is a World champion as Russian athlete banned

GALWAY’S Olive Loughnane joined the ranks of an elite group of Irish sportsmen and women when she was awarded the gold medal for the women’s 20km race walk at the 2009 IAAF World Championships in Berlin.

This comes following the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAF) to quash the gold medal snatched from Loughnane at the 2009 games by Russian athlete, Olga Kaniskina.

Kaniskina’s was one of six Olympic and two World Championship medals to be stripped from Russian athletes on the grounds of doping offences in last week’s ruling.

“I knew this day would come,” said Loughnane. “It’s nice to have it officially confirmed and to be winning medals when you’re retired.”

Loughnane, who grew up in Carrabane near Loughrea, was hesitant to lay the blame for drug cheats solely on the door of the individual athlete but took aim at the governing bodies that allowed the practice to continue.

“To be fair, these girls were under pressure; it wasn’t like Kaniskina went on the internet and bought whatever she took – it was systematic,” she said.

Loughnane now joins only three other Irish athletes to have achieved gold at the World Championships and will take her rightful place alongside Eamonn Coghlan, Sonia O’Sullivan and Robert Heffernan.

Heffernan also had cause for celebration with the outcome of the CAF ruling. Sergey Kirdyapkin, who took gold in the 50km walk at the London 2012 Olympic Games, had his victory annulled for doping – a decision which elevated the Cork man to bronze.