Nijel Amos: Banned runner to sell Botswana's first Olympic medal

Nijel Amos set a Diamond League 800m record in 2019 in Monaco and jointly holds the third fastest record at junior level with Lord Coe

Banned runner Nijel Amos is looking to sell the Olympic silver medal he won in 2012, saying he plans to use the money to support his family.

He finished second in the 800m in London, making him the first Botswanan to win an Olympic medal in any event.

Last week, the 29-year-old was handed a three-year ban for doping.

The ban was reduced from four years after he signed an admission, but Amos is still protesting his innocence.

"It has been a financially draining process," he said at a news conference in Botswana where he also spoke of "the effort to clear my name and that of my beloved nation Botswana in the past daunting 11 months".

He added: "At this time, my only investment or pension is the famous 2012 Olympic silver medal. I am in touch with different stakeholders, including financial advisors, on how that can sustain me and my family.

"I met with a team that wants to buy it with a value of 4.5m Botswana pula (300,000 US dollars), but with my documentary coming out on Netflix it could change the value to 7.5m.

"It is extremely difficult to survive as an athlete in Botswana where we are not given pension or any lump sum insurance payouts."

Ruling brings shame to the nation - Amos

Amos, who also won Commonwealth gold at Glasgow 2014, was first suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) in July 2022 after an out-of-competition test detected a banned metabolite in a urine sample.

All of his results since 4 June 2022 have been disqualified while the Botswanan says he felt his signed admission was the only course left available to him.

"I am very much aware that the ruling made by AIU brings shame to the nation," he said.

"I would like to humbly apologise to my beloved country, its citizens, fellow athletes and athletic bodies in the country.

"However, I am of the belief that if I had support from my native sports bodies, we would be facing a different outcome."

The Marobela-born runner, who carried the flag for his country at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, says it was advice from his legal team that eventually saw him sign the admission.

"Given the circumstances surrounding the case, my legal team and I saw it fit to take that direction so that I get a reduction on my ban."

No plans to retire

Amos will be 31 when his ban expires on 11 July 2025, but he has his sights firmly set on a return to the track.

"I have no plans to retire," he said. "I am still in good shape and I am hopeful that I will rise again in the World Championships in 2025.

"I know not everyone is going to be happy, but my fellow athletes reached out - almost 75 percent of them - letting me know they are with me on the journey and they are waiting for me to come back.

"I have to understand that I am no longer doing it to be the best athlete in the world - I am coming out there to clear my name."