Hamilton stripped of 2004 gold

Tyler Hamilton has been officially stripped of his Athens 2004 time trial gold medal, just days before the eight-year deadline expired.

International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams said after a disciplinary commission: "We have communicated to Tyler Hamilton that he has been disqualified and we will reallocate the medals."

Tyler returned the medal last year after confessing to doping but the IOC waited for information from the US Anti-Doping Agency in case other riders or coaches in that race were involved. Retired Russian rider Viatcheslav Ekimov will be awarded Hamilton's gold medal, with American Bobby Julich upgraded to silver and Michael Rogers of Australia takes bronze.

Hamilton tested positive after the 2004 race but was initially allowed to keep his medal because the laboratory accidentally destroyed his B sample by deep-freezing it. Last year, Hamilton ended years of denials by admitting he had used performance-enhancing drugs.