Coe hails medals for Doyle and Mcconnell

Athletics chief Sebastian Coe has promised that when two Scottish track stars receive belated medal recognition for races long run, every “clean” competitor in the world will celebrate with them.

Leemc connell and eilidh Doyle will have their finishes at previous world championships upgraded when the latest event opens in London next Friday.

Mcconnell will be retrospective bronze sand Doyle a silver in the wake of the drugs scandal which engulfed athletics after the revelations of Russia’s state-sponsored doping regime.

Coe, the IAAF president, said: “I’m delighted that the athletes are properly honoured for their achievements and what better way than in front of passionate fans at a major championships. Whatever their nationality, clean athletes worldwide will celebrate with them.”

Mcconnell is now a bronze medallist from the 2009 games in Berlin and 2011 in Daegu with Great Britain & Northern Ireland’s 4x400m women’s relay teams upgraded from fourth to third at both events.

After the drugs cheats were bounced off the podium, Doyle’s bronze in the same relay at the Moscow championships of 2013 has been improved to silver.

In Berlin Mcconnell ran alongside Christine Ohuruogu, Vicki Barr and Nicole Sanders. Two years later Nicole Sanders replaced Barr. Doyle, Ohuruogu, Margaret Adeoye and Shana Cox now occupy silver position, the USA quartet gold and the France team have bronze.

Last week, with Mcconnell still unsure whether her 2009 and 2011 performances would be uprated, she spoke to The Scotsman of her frustration of missing out on the glory of a medal finish during the actual championships – and the repercussions. “There is so much lost,” she said. “You’re losing that moment but also a loss of confidence. You start to doubt yourself and think ‘I’m not good enough’ but the truth is you are good enough. It’s just that other people have cheated to get ahead of you.”