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Medals to be redistributed
The International Paralympic Committee will redistribute the medals for the men's biathlon (standing) and the nordic skiing short distance events at the Salt Lake 2002 Paralympic Games today. The event will take place around 1:30 p.m. following the final medal ceremonies in Soldier Hollow.
The gold medals for both events were stripped from Thomas Oelsner of Germany after he tested positive in a routine doping test. He was suspended from the Paralympics and from competition for two years.
Although Oelsner and the German National Paralympic Committee can appeal the ruling and have vowed to do so, the committee felt that the medals should be redistributed now.
"All athletes being on first, second or third place should have the right to be awarded with a medal in an appropriate ceremony," if possible, said IPC Secretary General Miguel Sagarra.
The new results of the biathlon are: 1. Josef Giesen, Germany; 2. Valeri Darovskikh, Russia; and 3. Jozef Mesik, Slovakia.
Nordic skiing short distance results are: 1. Andreas Hustveit, Norway; 2. Axel Hecker, Germany; and 3. Yoshihiro Nitta, Japan.
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March 16, 2002
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