Lisa Dobriskey Moves Up After Tomashova Stripped of Medal

Lisa Dobriskey, who finished 10th in the women’s 1500m final at the London 2012 Olympics voiced her frustration, stating she didn’t believe she was competing on a level playing field. This race has earned a reputation as one of the dirtiest in history with six of the top nine finishers later found guilty of violating anti-doping regulations. The latest development involves Russian middle-distance runner Tatyana Tomashova, who lost her silver medal and received a 10-year ban after testing positive for anabolic steroids in re-tests of her 2012 samples.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport announced Tomashova’s ban on Tuesday which led to significant changes in the final standings. Dobriskey’s teammate Laura Weightman, who initially finished 11th moved up to sixth place as a result of the removal of the results of those found guilty of doping. Weightman shared her astonishment and pride in her clean performance on Instagram, reflecting on her rise from 11th to 6th place.

Tomashova, a two-time world champion, had previously received a ban in 2008. She originally placed fourth in the 1500m final, but her result improved following doping scandals involving Turkish runners Asli Cakir Alptekin and Gamze Bulut, who lost their medals. Bahrain’s Maryam Yusuf Jamal, who crossed the line in third place now holds the gold medal.

Lisa Dobriskey will now occupy fifth place a change that has stirred mixed emotions. She had previously recounted the difficulty of watching Cakir Alptekin celebrate a victory that she believed was tainted. Additionally, Ethiopian-born Swede Abeba Aregawi who faced a doping issue in 2016, recently received her upgraded silver medal in a special ceremony at the Paris Olympics.