Japanese hammer thrower Koji Murofushi was confirmed an undisputed Olympic champion Friday after a sports court dismissed a claim by Hungary's Adrian Annus, who was stripped of his gold medal for a doping violation.
The Court for Arbitration for Sport announced its decision nearly seven months after Annus brought his complaint to the Swiss-based body, which upheld the International Olympic Committee's decision to disqualify him and award the gold medal to Murofushi.
In the complaint, Annus and his agent argued that the doping officers from the World Anti-Doping Agency failed to follow the correct procedures when they sought to test him again after he tested negative before and after the men's hammer throw final at the Athens Olympics on Aug. 22.
After the IOC decided to collect a urine sample again from Annus, he failed to show up at the designated place on the Austrian side of the border with Hungary on Aug. 27 as requested by the anti-doping officers, saying that he did not want to be treated as a criminal.
In its ruling, the court said Annus realized that he needs to receive a second test as demanded by the IOC and the doping agency.
Murofushi, who finished second behind Annus in the final, was awarded the gold medal in a specially arranged ceremony at the Seiko super track and field meet in Yokohama on Sept. 23, shortly after Annus took his case to the court.