She came down from the tatami with defeat in hand. Three years later, as if she were by courier, the gold medallion, still resplendent, weighing less than 57 kilos, came to her neck, culminating the feat in tears of the Dominican judoka Ana Rosa.
The president of Panam Sports, the Chilean Neven Ilic, made the Franco-Macorisian athlete official yesterday as the Pan American champion after the Brazilian Rafaela Silva, her conqueror at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, in 2019, tested positive in the anti-doping test.
“Ana, I give you your gold medal after honoring fair play,” Ilic said at the Gender Equity in Sport seminar held in the Olympic Hostel’s event hall.
Analysis of the Brazilian’s sample revealed the presence of the metabolite fenoterol, a specific substance prohibited both in and out of competition on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of prosecuted products.
“It is a moment for which I sacrificed myself. Like any athlete, he fought a lot and I got it. I hope to continue contributing many more achievements to my country,” Rosa, 25, stammered through tears.
The appeal
Although the Brazilian Silva appealed the sanction, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ratified the measure imposed by the International Judo Federation. The CAS reported the dismissal of the appeal filed by the Brazilian judoka Silva against the decision made by the International Judo Federation, which on January 22, 2020 punished her with a two-year suspension for doping.
On Saturday, August 10, 2019, Rosa lost to the Brazilian Silva in the final of the minus 57 kilos category, but after the disqualification, the Dominican was awarded the gold.
First gold in 60 years
The president of the Dominican Federation of Judo, Gilberto García valued as the greatest achievement in 60 years of this discipline the medal received “very late”, but gold at last, which leaves the country very well positioned.
“We had to wait, the first thing was that Ana had to continue with the team to Europe at the end of the Lima Games; Right there began the issue of the pandemic that did us a lot of damage.
“Then it is that we found out at the time, about Silva’s doping; it is announced that the gold medal passes to the hand of our athlete, but there is a process for all that.
“It is also recommended to deliver that medal in a public act, not only personally, but before the people as we just did… of course, people saw us cry because it is the greatest thing we have achieved in 60 years of judo,” Garcia revealed. .
Grateful
Ana Smerlyn Rosa García, from San Francisco de Macorís, is grateful and especially appreciates the support that her family has given her.
“My family is a fundamental part of my life, of my being even when I am far away, thank you for your unconditional support in this life project”, confessed the judoka.
He also had words of thanks for all his trainers and for Fedojudo, MIDEREC, CRESO, COD and the Dominican Navy.
KNOW MORE Ana’s medal route The sanction
On December 21, 2020, the Sports Arbitration Court ratified the sanction imposed by the International Judo Federation in January on the Brazilian Rafaela Silva for doping.
gold for silver
On December 22, 2020, Panam Sports assigned the gold medal of the Lima Games to the Dominican judoka Ana Rosa, in the minus 57 kilos category.