Mark Richardson (athlete)
Encyclopedia
Mark Ashton Richardson is a British
former athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres.
He competed for Great Britain in the 1996 Summer Olympics
held in Atlanta, United States
in the 4 x 400 metre relay where he won the silver medal with his team mates Iwan Thomas
, Jamie Baulch
and Roger Black
. This team set a UK record, 2:56.60, in the process.
At the 1997 World Championships in Athens, Richardson quickly ran the anchor leg for Great Britain in the 4x400m relay, winning the silver medal. His unofficial split time was 43.5. On the 7th January 2010 it was announced that Great Britain's 1997 World Championship 4x400m relay team are to be awarded the gold medal they were beaten to by a U.S. team which included Antonio Pettigrew
, who admitted in 2008 to using performance-enhancing drugs.
. He tested positive for banned substance nandrolone
, but claimed that he was unaware of taking the substance. Unlike fellow competitors Linford Christie
, Gary Cadogan and Doug Walker
, Richardson accepted the ban and chose not to pursue his case to arbitration. The IAAF did re-instate Richardson in June 2001, under their "exceptional circumstances" rule. UK Athletics
also cleared Richardson (as they did with Christie, Cadogan and Walker) as they believed there was enough reasonable doubt over the intention to take a banned substance. The IAAF overrule such decisions because they hold athletes completely responsible for drug samples under a "strict liability rule"
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
former athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres.
He competed for Great Britain in the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
held in Atlanta, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the 4 x 400 metre relay where he won the silver medal with his team mates Iwan Thomas
Iwan Thomas
Iwan Gwyn Thomas MBE is a sprinter who represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the Olympic Games in the 400 m, and Wales at the Commonwealth Games. Thomas is the current UK record holder at 400 m with a time of 44.36 seconds and is a former European and Commonwealth games champion...
, Jamie Baulch
Jamie Baulch
James Steven Baulch , but raised by foster parents in Risca, near Newport, is a British sprint athlete and television presenter. He won the 400 metres gold medal at the 1999 World Indoor Championships. As a member of British 4 x 400 metres relay teams, he won a gold medal at the 1997 World...
and Roger Black
Roger Black
Roger Anthony Black MBE is a retired British athlete. During his athletics career, he won individual silver medals in the 400 metres sprint at both the Olympic Games and World Championships, two individual gold medals at the European Championships, and 4x400 metres relay gold medals at both the...
. This team set a UK record, 2:56.60, in the process.
At the 1997 World Championships in Athens, Richardson quickly ran the anchor leg for Great Britain in the 4x400m relay, winning the silver medal. His unofficial split time was 43.5. On the 7th January 2010 it was announced that Great Britain's 1997 World Championship 4x400m relay team are to be awarded the gold medal they were beaten to by a U.S. team which included Antonio Pettigrew
Antonio Pettigrew
Antonio Pettigrew was an American sprinter who specialized in the 400 meters. He was born in Macon, Georgia....
, who admitted in 2008 to using performance-enhancing drugs.
Doping case
Richardson received a two-year ban from the IAAF after he failed a drugs test which was taken on 25 October 1999. He was suspended in March 2000 and subsequently missed the 2000 Olympics in Sydney2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
. He tested positive for banned substance nandrolone
Nandrolone
Nandrolone is an anabolic steroid that may be present naturally in the human body, albeit in minute quantities of less than 0.4 ng/ml. Nandrolone is most commonly sold commercially as its decanoate ester and less commonly as a phenylpropionate ester...
, but claimed that he was unaware of taking the substance. Unlike fellow competitors Linford Christie
Linford Christie
Linford Cicero Christie OBE is a former sprinter from the United Kingdom. He is the only British man to have won gold medals in the 100 metres at all four major competitions open to British athletes: the Olympic Games, the World Championships, the European Championships and the Commonwealth Games...
, Gary Cadogan and Doug Walker
Douglas Walker
Douglas Walker , commonly known as Dougie Walker, is a former Scottish sprinter.Educated at George Heriot's School in Edinburgh, in 1998 he became European champion in both 200 metres and 4x100m relay. With 31.56s he is the European record holder in 300 metres, although this distance is rarely run...
, Richardson accepted the ban and chose not to pursue his case to arbitration. The IAAF did re-instate Richardson in June 2001, under their "exceptional circumstances" rule. UK Athletics
UK Athletics
UK Athletics is the governing body for the sport of athletics in the United Kingdom. It is responsible for overseeing the governance of athletics events in the UK as well as athletes, their development, and athletics officials....
also cleared Richardson (as they did with Christie, Cadogan and Walker) as they believed there was enough reasonable doubt over the intention to take a banned substance. The IAAF overrule such decisions because they hold athletes completely responsible for drug samples under a "strict liability rule"