Cycling: The saga of the medal that never was

Bruce Biddle would like the chance to give his two children the cycling bronze medal he won on merit at the 1972 Olympic Games.

Francesco and Eleonora Biddle know their New Zealand father finished third in the men's road race at Munich because the record books say so, but there is no medal to show them at the family home in Italy.

"The kids know what I did and even that I was famous in New Zealand.

"But apart from books like the Encyclopedia of Sport I have nothing to show them what I did in Munich," Biddle said from Livorno, near Pisa, where he has lived and worked as a warehouseman for close to 25 years.

Biddle was not surprised to learn that the long-running battle to have him awarded the medal has failed: the International Olympic Committee has turned down an application from the New Zealand Olympic Committee.

Biddle finished fourth in the road race, but was promoted to third after Spain's Jaime Huelamo failed a drugs test.

He was never awarded the bronze because he was not tested for drugs, a stipulation at the time for all medal winners.

The NZOC this year launched a bid to have the medal belatedly awarded, pointing out that Biddle offered himself to the drug testers after the race.

However, the NZOC said a recent IOC executive meeting had decided it could not over-rule the international sports rule of the day.

Biddle, now 55, said he remembered the race well: only half-a-bike-length separated him from Huelamo.

"It was a day of disappointments.

"First, I finished fourth, then they wouldn't test me when I offered myself to be tested, and then later, I learned that the Spanish rider had failed his drugs test.

"Aside from not having a medal I never got to experience what it was like to stand on the medals dais at the Olympics."

Biddle considered the IOC's continued stance to deny him a medal was a sad reflection on the IOC, the world in general and the sport of cycling.

The New Zealand 1970 Commonwealth Games gold medallist entered the Munich event mindful that rivals could be tempted to cheat as they pursued careers with professional teams.

"Back then the Olympics were for amateur riders and there was the temptation for some to possibly seek an unfair advantage as they looked to attract the attention of professional teams."

New Zealand cycling team manager-coach Bruce Goldsworthy steered Biddle to the drugs testing centre after the race, knowing that only tested riders could be awarded medals.

When he wasn't one of the riders outside the medallists chosen at random, Biddle offered himself to the testers.

"I would never have dreamed to take anything like that. We in New Zealand have always had a good record in that area, and that's one reason I find it sad that I still haven't got my medal."

The NZOC is still awaiting written confirmation of the IOC decision and NZOC spokesman Gordon Irving said the issue was therefore not completely closed.

But it now appeared unlikely Biddle would receive a medal.

"The IOC can't or won't over-rule the International Cycling Union rules of 1972," Irving said.

"Cycling controlled the cycling component of the Olympic Games then, so the IOC can do nothing about it."

- NZPA