Botswana: banned for doping, Nijel Amos puts his Olympic medal up for sale
Nijel Amos is selling his Olympic medal. The Botswana athlete has been handed a three-year ban for doping.
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At the London 2012 Olympics, Nijel Amos became Botswana's first Olympic medallist. He finished second in the 800 m behind Kenya's David Rudisha. That medal is now the only valuable asset the 29-year-old has left, as he is banned from competing for three years. Amos was suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) last July, after an out-of-competition test carried out before the World Athletics Championships detected a banned metabolite, GW1516, in his sample. His results from 4 June 2022 onwards have been annulled.
Facing financial problems, Nijel Amos has decided to sell the trinket. "At the moment, my only investment or retirement fund is the famous 2012 Olympic silver medal. I am in contact with various stakeholders, including financial advisers, about how it can support me and my family," he told BBC Sport Africa. The four-time African champion also says a potential buyer had come forward. "I have met a team who want to buy it, valuing it at 4.5 million Botswana pula (€272,817), but with the release of my documentary on Netflix, that could push the value up to 7.5 million," he said.
Related story: Botswana: Nijel Amos banned for 3 years for doping
Nijel Amos also wished to apologise to the people of Botswana. "I would humbly like to apologise to my beloved country, its citizens, my fellow athletes and the country's sporting bodies." However, he criticised the lack of support from Botswana's sporting authorities. "However, I am convinced that if I had had the support of my home sporting bodies, we would be facing a different outcome."
The Botswana athlete had claimed the banned substance was in a food supplement he habitually took. Amos eventually admitted breaching the anti-doping rules. "Given the circumstances surrounding the case, my legal team and I felt it best to go in this direction so that I would get a reduction in my ban," said the Commonwealth champion. Despite the suspension, Amos has no plans to retire and intends to compete at the 2025 World Championships. "I am still in shape and I hope to get back up to the World Championships in 2025," Amos vowed.