Lucky Number 13: 13 Years Later Team Nigeria receives Gold from Sydney 2000 Olympics

By Arinze Ude

Following the disqualification of the original winners, the United States relay team, for doping, Nigeria’s 4x400m relay quartet at the 2000 Sydney Olympics has been presented with the Gold medal by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This comes thirteen years after the games were played. The IOC sent the Gold medals to the Nigerian Olympic Committee with a letter signed by the IOC president, Dr Jacques Rogge. It reads: “I am pleased to send you this Olympic Gold for Mr Enefiok Udo-Obong, who was part of your men’s 4x400m now placed first in the athletics men’s 4×400 metres relay event at the Games of the XXV11 Olympiad, Sydney 2000.” Late Sunday Bada, Enefiok Udo-Obong, Jude Monye and Clement Chukwu formed the relay team that took the Silver medal at the Sydney Olympiad but Enefiok Udo-Obong was the only one who returned his medal in line with the IOC directive. The others are yet to return theirs and will receive their Gold medals when they do so.