Olympics: Biddle's bid for bronze declined

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has turned down an application to award New Zealand cyclist Bruce Biddle a bronze medal for his performance at the 1972 Munich Games.

Biddle finished fourth in the road race but was promoted to third after Spain's Jaime Huelamo failed a drugs test. However, the New Zealander was never awarded the bronze because he was never tested for drugs, a stipulation at the time for all medal winners.

The New Zealand Olympic Committee (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, a recent IOC executive meeting ruled they could not overule the international sports rule of the day.

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An NZOC staff member was told of the decision by IOC officials in Lausanne last week.

However, the NZOC is still awaiting written confirmation. IOC president Jacques Rogge apparently sent a letter outlining the ruling two weeks ago but it had not arrived.

NZOC spokesman Gordon Irving said the 31-year-old issue was therefore not completely closed but it now appeared unlikely Italy-based Biddle would receive a medal.

"The IOC can't or won't overrule the International Cycling Union rules of 1972," Irving told NZPA.

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

A Belgian cycling team were in the same position as Biddle after the 1972 Olympics and also had their bid for a bronze medal declined recently.

When Rogge was in New Zealand in December he was optimistic Biddle's case was a strong one and hoped for a positive outcome after IOC files from Munich had been reviewed.

However, he also warned it was rare for a medal to be bestowed retrospectively. That has happened only three times in Olympic history.

Biddle has lived in Pisa, Italy, for 25 years.

- NZPA