Cheated world track medalists to finally have a proper ceremony

When the world championships of track and field begin next month in London, there will be a few extra medal ceremonies.

Eleven athletes and five teams whose results from past world championships have been upgraded because of doping violations will receive their new medals, the International Association of Athletics Federations, the governing body of track and field, said Wednesday.

Jessica Ennis-Hill, a heptathlete from Britain, and a U.S. women’s 4x400 relay team will receive gold medals and the full flag and anthem treatment.

Ennis-Hill placed second in 2011 behind Tatyana Chernova of Russia, who was suspended for doping in 2013. The U.S. women ran second behind Russia in 2013. Russia was disqualified from that race this year after one of its athletes, Antonina Krivoshapka, tested positive.

“It’s taken awhile but I’m so pleased to be finally receiving my gold medal!” Ennis-Hill said on Twitter.

A number of other athletes who have chosen not to attend the London event next month, or are unable to, will be given their medals on other occasions.

“I’m delighted that the athletes are properly honored for their achievements and what better way than in front of passionate athletics fans at a major championship,” the IAAF president, Sebastian Coe, said in a statement.

Four medals will be awarded 10 years after the events took place. Kara Goucher of the United States will receive a silver medal and Jo Pavey of Britain a bronze for the 10,000 meters at the 2007 championships in Osaka, Japan. The silver medalist in that race, Elvan Abeylegesse of Turkey, was barred for doping this year after her sample from 2007 was retested.

Irina Lishchynska, a competitor in the women’s 1,500 from Ukraine, and Rutger Smith, a Dutch shot putter, will also receive new medals from the 2007 event.

Goucher, 39, said she found out Saturday that she would be receiving her medal Aug. 5 and has been scrambling to make arrangements to get her family to London, including renewing her son’s passport.

“For them to bring us out and put us in a stadium amongst our peers, it means a lot to me,” she said. “And I am just really grateful for the opportunity.”