LAUSANNE, Switzerland : “France Claims Cycling Medal 124 Years Late”, France have been awarded a medal from the 1900 Paris Olympics which was originally credited to Britain.
The medal was won for Britain by Lloyd Hildebrand, who competed in two cycling events and came second in the men’s 25km, but the IOC Executive Board has re-awarded it to France.
“Recent research has now concluded that, even though Hildebrand was a British citizen, he was born and brought up in France, and competed for a French club before and after Paris 1900,” the IOC said in a statement on Thursday.
Athletes at the time were registered under the national federation they were competing with, and National Olympic Committees were not yet part of the process.
In a significant update, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that the medal won by Lloyd Hildebrand will be officially credited to France instead of Great Britain in both the records of the Olympic Games Paris 1900 and the IOC’s database.
This decision follows recent research revealing Hildebrand’s French heritage, as he was born and raised in France and competed for a French club before and after the 1900 Paris Olympics. This adjustment not only rectifies a historical oversight but also honors Hildebrand’s true national affiliation, underscoring the IOC’s commitment to accuracy in Olympic record-keeping.
Paris is set to host this year’s Games, commencing on July 26. This marks a historic moment as the city hosts the Olympics once again, over a century after the 1900 Games where Lloyd Hildebrand’s medal controversy emerged. The upcoming event promises to showcase Paris’s rich history, vibrant culture, and commitment to sport.
