Rashid Ramzi
Encyclopedia
Rashid Ramzi (born July 17, 1980) is a Moroccan
-Bahraini
track and field
athlete competing internationally for Bahrain
in the 800 metres
and 1500 metres
. Ramzi was investigated by the IAAF after the 2008 Summer Games and was stripped of his gold medal for doping.
Ramzi was born in Asfi, Morocco
. After transferring to Bahrain, he ascended to the top of the Asian scene, winning gold medals at the Asian Athletics Championships and the 2002 Asian Games
. He set an Asian indoor record over 800 metres to take the silver at the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships
—his first global medal—and took part in the 2004 Athens Olympics. He reached the peak of his discipline the following year by becoming both the 800 m and 1500 m champion at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics
– the first man to ever do such a double at the competition.
He failed to retain his titles at the 2007 World Championships
, but still took the silver medal over 1500 m. At the 2008 Summer Olympics
he was the recipient of the first ever medal for Bahrain at the Olympics
– winning the 1500 m gold medal
. However, his result did not stand and he was excluded from the sport for two years after his test came back positive for the banned blood-boosting substance CERA.
, and competed internationally for Morocco
, winning the 1500 metres
silver medal
at the 1999 African Junior Athletics Championships and then winning at the national championships in 2001. until he joined the Bahraini armed forces and gained citizenship in 2002.
Following the nationality transfer, he began competing for Bahrain immediately – he won silver at the 2002 Asian Athletics Championships and then took the 1500 m gold at the 2002 Asian Games
. He scored three 1500 m gold medals at regional championships in 2003, winning at the Pan Arab Athletics Championships, the Gulf Cooperation Council Championships, and beating all opposition at the 2003 Asian Athletics Championships.
The 2004 season saw him break through onto the global scene – he won 800 metres
and 1500 m golds at the 2004 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships
(setting an Asian record at the shorter distance) and then took the silver medal
at the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships
the following month, improving his 800 m area record and just finishing behind Mbulaeni Mulaudzi
. Competing on the European circuit, he took his first Golden League
win in the 1500 m at the Golden Gala
in Rome. Later that year, he represented his adopted country at the Olympic Games
for the first time and he reached the semi-finals of the 1500 m at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
, Ramzi became the first athlete in history to win gold medal
s in the 800 m and 1500 m in the same World Championship, and the first man to perform this feat in a global championship (World Championship or Olympic Games) since Peter Snell
did so in 1964.
He followed this with a bronze medal
at the 2006 Asian Games
and improved to the silver medal in the 1500 m at the 2007 World Championships
. Ramzi won the gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics the next year but he was later stripped of the Olympic title.
reported Ramzi tested positive for doping at the Beijing Games. Ramzi tested positive for CERA, an advanced version of the blood-boosting drug EPO
. Ramzi’s backup “B” sample was tested on June 18, 2009 and in July 2009 it was announced Ramzi's "B" sample has tested positive as well. In November, 2009, Ramzi was stripped of his gold medal.
He still spends much of his time in Morocco to train at high altitude (the highest point in Bahrain
is only 440 ft. above sea level).
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
-Bahraini
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete competing internationally for Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
in the 800 metres
800 metres
The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...
and 1500 metres
1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
. Ramzi was investigated by the IAAF after the 2008 Summer Games and was stripped of his gold medal for doping.
Ramzi was born in Asfi, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
. After transferring to Bahrain, he ascended to the top of the Asian scene, winning gold medals at the Asian Athletics Championships and the 2002 Asian Games
2002 Asian Games
The 2002 Asian Games, also known as XIV Asiad is a multi-sport event held in Busan, South Korea from September 29 to October 14, 2002. Busan is the second city, after Seoul in 1986 to host the Games. A total of 419 events in 38 sports were contested by 7,711 athletes from 44 countries...
. He set an Asian indoor record over 800 metres to take the silver at the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships
2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships
The 10th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations were held in the Budapest Arena, Hungary between March 5 and March 7, 2004...
—his first global medal—and took part in the 2004 Athens Olympics. He reached the peak of his discipline the following year by becoming both the 800 m and 1500 m champion at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics
2005 World Championships in Athletics
The 10th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held in the Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland , the site of the first IAAF World Championships in 1983. One theme of the 2005 championships was paralympic sports, some of...
– the first man to ever do such a double at the competition.
He failed to retain his titles at the 2007 World Championships
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
, but still took the silver medal over 1500 m. At the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
he was the recipient of the first ever medal for Bahrain at the Olympics
Bahrain at the Olympics
Bahrain has competed in 6 Summer Games. They have never competed in the Winter Games.Bahrain has never won an Olympic medal. In 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing Rashid Ramzi was originally awarded the gold medal in athletics in men's 1,500 meters but was later stripped due to doping violation....
– winning the 1500 m gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
. However, his result did not stand and he was excluded from the sport for two years after his test came back positive for the banned blood-boosting substance CERA.
Early competition and transfer
Ramzi was raised in SafiSafi, Morocco
Safi is a city in western Morocco on the Atlantic Ocean. The capital of the Doukkala-Abda Region, it has a population of 282,227 , but is also the centre of an agglomeration which has an estimated 793,000 inhabitants ....
, and competed internationally for Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, winning the 1500 metres
1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
at the 1999 African Junior Athletics Championships and then winning at the national championships in 2001. until he joined the Bahraini armed forces and gained citizenship in 2002.
Following the nationality transfer, he began competing for Bahrain immediately – he won silver at the 2002 Asian Athletics Championships and then took the 1500 m gold at the 2002 Asian Games
2002 Asian Games
The 2002 Asian Games, also known as XIV Asiad is a multi-sport event held in Busan, South Korea from September 29 to October 14, 2002. Busan is the second city, after Seoul in 1986 to host the Games. A total of 419 events in 38 sports were contested by 7,711 athletes from 44 countries...
. He scored three 1500 m gold medals at regional championships in 2003, winning at the Pan Arab Athletics Championships, the Gulf Cooperation Council Championships, and beating all opposition at the 2003 Asian Athletics Championships.
The 2004 season saw him break through onto the global scene – he won 800 metres
800 metres
The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...
and 1500 m golds at the 2004 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships
2004 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships
The 2004 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships was an international indoor athletics event took place in Tehran, Iran, between 6 and 8 February.-Men:-Women:-Medal table:-Participating nations:...
(setting an Asian record at the shorter distance) and then took the silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
at the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships
2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships
The 10th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations were held in the Budapest Arena, Hungary between March 5 and March 7, 2004...
the following month, improving his 800 m area record and just finishing behind Mbulaeni Mulaudzi
Mbulaeni Mulaudzi
Mbulaeni Tongai Mulaudzi is a South African middle distance runner, and the 2009 world champion in the men's 800 metres. He carried the flag at the opening ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece for his native country...
. Competing on the European circuit, he took his first Golden League
2004 IAAF Golden League
The 2004 IAAF Golden League was a series of track and field meetings organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations.Originally taking place in Oslo, Rome, Monaco, Zürich, Brussels and Berlin, the Bislett Games was temporarily moved from Oslo to Fana due to the redevelopment of...
win in the 1500 m at the Golden Gala
Golden Gala
Golden Gala is an annual track and field event at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, Italy. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League.-History:...
in Rome. Later that year, he represented his adopted country at the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
for the first time and he reached the semi-finals of the 1500 m at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Double world champion
At the 2005 World Championships in Athletics2005 World Championships in Athletics
The 10th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held in the Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland , the site of the first IAAF World Championships in 1983. One theme of the 2005 championships was paralympic sports, some of...
, Ramzi became the first athlete in history to win gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
s in the 800 m and 1500 m in the same World Championship, and the first man to perform this feat in a global championship (World Championship or Olympic Games) since Peter Snell
Peter Snell
Sir Peter George Snell, KNZM, MBE is a former New Zealand athlete, now resident in Texas, United States. He had one of the shortest careers of world famous international sportsmen, yet achieved so much that he was voted New Zealand’s "Sports Champion of the Century"...
did so in 1964.
He followed this with a bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
at the 2006 Asian Games
2006 Asian Games
The 15th Asian Games, officially known as the XV Asiad, is Asia's Olympic-style sporting event that was held in Doha, Qatar from December 1 to December 15, 2006. Doha was the first city in its region and only the second in West Asia to host the games...
and improved to the silver medal in the 1500 m at the 2007 World Championships
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
. Ramzi won the gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics the next year but he was later stripped of the Olympic title.
Olympic scandal
In April 2009, the Bahrain Olympic CommitteeBahrain Olympic Committee
Bahrain Olympic Committee is the National Olympic Committee representing Bahrain as a member of the International Olympic Committee. It was formed in 1978 and received official recognition in 1979...
reported Ramzi tested positive for doping at the Beijing Games. Ramzi tested positive for CERA, an advanced version of the blood-boosting drug EPO
Erythropoietin
Erythropoietin, or its alternatives erythropoetin or erthropoyetin or EPO, is a glycoprotein hormone that controls erythropoiesis, or red blood cell production...
. Ramzi’s backup “B” sample was tested on June 18, 2009 and in July 2009 it was announced Ramzi's "B" sample has tested positive as well. In November, 2009, Ramzi was stripped of his gold medal.
He still spends much of his time in Morocco to train at high altitude (the highest point in Bahrain
Jebel Dukhan
The Mountain of Smoke is a hill in the Southern Governorate of Bahrain which is the highest point in the country. It stands at above mean sea level. The Mountain of Smoke is named as such because of the haze which often surrounds it on humid days. A number of caves of indeterminate type are in...
is only 440 ft. above sea level).
Personal bests
| Distance | Mark | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 800 m | 1:44.05 | July 17, 2006 | Madrid Madrid Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan... , Spain |
| 1,500 m | 3:29.14 | July 14, 2006 | Rome Rome Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half... , Italy |
| 1 mile | 3:51.33 | June 4, 2005 | Eugene, Oregon Eugene, Oregon Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S... , United States |
Achievements
| Representing | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | African Junior Championships | Tunis Tunis Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants.... , Tunisia |
2nd | 1500 m |
| Representing | ||||
| 2002 | Asian Championships | Colombo Colombo Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo... , Sri Lanka |
2nd | 1500 m |
| Asian Games Athletics at the 2002 Asian Games -Medal summary:-Men's events:-Women's events:-External links:* - GBR Athletics... |
Busan Busan Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world... , South Korea |
1st | 1500 m | |
| 2003 | Gulf Cooperation Council Championships | Kuwait City Kuwait City -Suburbs:Although the districts below are not usually recognized as suburbs, the following is a list of a few areas surrounding Kuwait city:Al-Salam ""السلام"" -Economy:... , Kuwait |
1st | 1500 m |
| Asian Championships | Manila, Philippines | 1st | 1500 m | |
| Pan Arab Championships | Amman Amman Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost... , Jordan |
1st | 1500 m | |
| 2004 | Asian Indoor Championships 2004 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships The 2004 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships was an international indoor athletics event took place in Tehran, Iran, between 6 and 8 February.-Men:-Women:-Medal table:-Participating nations:... |
Tehran Tehran Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to... , Iran |
1st | 800 m |
| 1st | 1500 m | |||
| World Indoor Championships 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships The 10th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations were held in the Budapest Arena, Hungary between March 5 and March 7, 2004... |
Budapest Budapest Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter... , Hungary |
2nd | 800 m 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Men's 800 metres The Men's 800 metres event at the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships was held on March 5–7.-Medalists:-Heat:First 2 of each heat and next 6 fastest qualified for the semifinals.-Semifinals:... |
|
| Olympic Games Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics At the 2004 Summer Olympics, the athletics events were held at the Athens Olympic Stadium from August 18 to August 29, except for the marathons , the race walks , and the shot put... |
Athens Athens Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state... , Greece |
11th (semis) | 1500 m | |
| 2005 | World Cross Country Championships 2005 IAAF World Cross Country Championships The 33rd IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 19-20 March 2005 in Saint-Étienne and Saint-Galmier , France.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :... |
Saint-Galmier Saint-Galmier Saint-Galmier is a commune in the Loire department in central France.Its residents are called Baldomériens.-Water:Saint Galmier is a spa town and the source of Badoit mineral water... , France |
32nd | Short race |
| World Championships 2005 World Championships in Athletics The 10th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held in the Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland , the site of the first IAAF World Championships in 1983. One theme of the 2005 championships was paralympic sports, some of... |
Helsinki Helsinki Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is... , Finland |
1st | 800 m 2005 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 800 metres The men's 800 metres at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics was held on August 11, 12 and 14 at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium.-Medalists:-Results:All times shown are in seconds.-Heat 1:# Rashid Ramzi 1:46.17 Q... |
|
| 1st | 1500 m 2005 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 1500 metres The men's 1500 metres at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics was held on August 6, 8 and 10 at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium.-Medalists:-Results:All times shown are in seconds.-Heat 1:# Mehdi Baala 3:36.56 Q... |
|||
| World Athletics Final 2005 IAAF World Athletics Final The 3rd IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Stade Louis II, in Monte Carlo, Monaco on September 9, and September 10, 2005.The hammer throw event for men and women had to take place in Szombathely, Hungary on September 3 as the Monaco stadium was not large enough to hold the event.- Medal... |
Monte Carlo Monte Carlo Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco.... , Monaco |
8th | 1500 m | |
| 2006 | Asian Games Athletics at the 2006 Asian Games An Athletics competition was contested at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar from December 7 to December 12. Twenty-three events were contested for the men while 22 were on the slate for the women. Only the 3000 Meter Steeplechase was not contested for by the women... |
Doha Doha Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar... , Qatar |
3rd | 1500 m |
| 2007 | World Championships 2007 World Championships in Athletics The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007... |
Osaka Osaka is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe... , Japan |
8th (semis) | 800 m 2007 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 800 metres The men's 800 metres at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Nagai Stadium on 30, 31 August and 2 September.-Medalists:-Records:Prior to the competition, the following records were as follows.-Schedule:-Results:-Heats:... |
| 2nd | 1500 m 2007 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 1500 metres The men's 1500 metres at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Nagai Stadium on 25, 27 and 29 August.-Medalists:-Records:Prior to the competition, the following records were as follows.-Schedule:-Results:-Heats:... |
|||
| 2008 | World Indoor Championships 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships The 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics were held at the Luis Puig Palace in Valencia, Spain, March 7-9, 2008.-Bid:Valencia was announced the winning bidder by the IAAF on November 13, 2005 at an IAAF Council meeting in Moscow, Russia.-Men:... |
Valencia, Spain | 5th | 1500 m |
| Olympic Games Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics were held during the last 10 days of the games, from August 15 to August 24, 2008, at the Beijing National Stadium. The Olympic sport of athletics is split into four distinct sets of events: track and field events, road running events, and racewalking... |
Beijing Beijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... , China |
1st (DQ) | 1500 m | |