Former Indonesian weightlifter Citra Febrianti will officially receive a 2012 London Olympics silver medal at a ceremony at East Plaza, Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex, Senayan, here on Sunday.
According to an official statement released by the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) here on Saturday, the medal will be bestowed to Febrianti by one of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) members, Erick Thohir.
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During the 2012 Olympics, Febrianti managed to place fourth in the women’s 53-kg class.
However, she qualified for a medal reallocation after the IOC disqualified gold medal winner Kazakhstan’s Zulfiya Chinshanlo and bronze winner Moldova’s Cristina Iovu in 2016.
The two weightlifters tested positive for doping, as per the latest clarification from the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF).
Thus, after struggling for almost three years, Febrianti finally earned her Olympic medal.
For Olympic medal reallocation, the IOC has stipulated that the medal be bestowed in a ceremonial manner as a form of appreciation for the achievement of athletes who are clean from doping.
"I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I am happy because what I have been waiting for came true, but on the other, this feels like my farewell from the sport," she remarked.
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She said that she is happy to finally receive her medal and certificate.
"At the same time, I am sad because I went up in rank, but I do not have a photo when I was up on the podium in London," she added.
Chairman of KOI Raja Sapta Oktohari lauded Febrianti's determination to earn the silver medal.
At the same time, he said, her struggle has proven that there are no wasted struggles for athletes who fight honestly and cleanly without doping.
"Once again, after a long wait, Citra received her medal. What Citra demonstrated is part of the values that exist in the Olympic Charter, one of them is honesty by not using doping," he remarked.
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Editor : Mahdani
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