"Six out of the top nine competitors in the alleged 'filthiest race' tested positive for drug use, resulting in the champion receiving a lifetime ban."
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The 2012 Women's 1500m final at the London Olympics has become infamous as the 'dirtiest race in history'. Several athletes who initially finished in the top nine positions have since been disqualified due to doping violations.
Maryam Yusuf Jamal, a Bahrain runner, emerged as the rightful gold medalist after a 4:10.74 finish. The 2007 and 2009 world champion, Jamal was initially awarded bronze but has since been upgraded to gold following the disqualifications of Asli Cakir Alptekin and Gamze Bulut.
Alptekin, a Turkish runner who initially won gold, was later stripped of her title due to doping violations. She received an eight-year ban and was later given a lifetime ban for her third doping violation. Bulut, a Turkish runner who initially won silver, was also stripped of her Games medal due to doping violations.
Russia's Tatyana Tomashova, who had served a two-year ban up to 2010, finished fourth in the 2012 women's 1500m final but was retrospectively awarded silver due to her fellow competitors' disqualifications. Tomashova had her silver medal stripped again in September 2024, following a ten-year ban after a positive test for anabolic steroids.
Abeba Aregawi, an Ethiopian runner, won the silver medal. However, even Aregawi has had controversy in her career. She was provisionally suspended in 2016 after testing positive for meldonium, though that was later lifted.
The original medal winners were stripped of their titles and the medals were reallocated in June 2022. Shannon Rowbury, an American runner, won the bronze medal. Apart from Jamal, the others with a totally clean doping record are Rowbury, Lucia Klocova (eighth), Lisa Dobriskey (10th), and Laura Weightman (11th).
Dobriskey, after the race, confidently predicted her rivals would be found out, stating, "I'm probably going to get in trouble for saying so, but I don't believe I'm competing on a level playing field." She added, "I think these Games came too soon. People will be caught eventually."
Claudia Pechstein, a German speed skater, was also among the athletes with doping violations. She received a four-year doping ban in 2017 and had her results disqualified back to 2011.
Of the 13 athletes to run in the now tainted final, just a further five boast a totally clean doping record. Hellen Onsando Obiri, who finished 12th in 2012, is also among the athletes with a clean doping record.
The 2012 Women's 1500m final serves as a stark reminder of the importance of fair play and the fight against doping in sports.
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