28 years later, Brits get relay gold from DQ’d U.S.

LONDON — Britain’s men’s 4×400-meter relay team was presented with the gold medal from the 1997 world championships at London’s Diamond League meeting Saturday, having been elevated from silver after the belated disqualification of the U.S. team.

The U.S. was stripped of the title won in Athens when Antonio Pettigrew confessed in 2008 to doping between 1997 and 2003. The U.S also lost its 2000 Olympic title.

A lengthy process of investigation, appeal and reallocation followed, culminating in Saturday’s presentation by World Athletics president Seb Coe to Roger Black, Iwan Thomas, Jamie Baulch, Mark Richardson and Mark Hylton (who ran in the heats).

The former athletes were giving a rousing welcome by the sellout crowd of 60,000, which stood for a very belated national anthem.

“We’re proud to be able to give these athletes their moment in front of a home crowd,” said Cherry Alexander, UK Athletics’ strategic lead for major events. “It’s a chance to recognize not just their talent, but the values they stood for. This medal means even more because of how long they’ve waited for it.”

Pettigrew was found dead at the age of 42 in 2010 in his locked car in the United States. An autopsy said he died by suicide after an overdose.