Yegorova receives hero's welcome in Russia
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Updated: 2001-08-15 09:14

A jubilant crowd, including high-profile sports officials, media and fans, greeted Yegorova as she emerged from the customs area at Moscow's Domodedovo international airport.

"We are proud of all our champions and medal winners, but I think Olga deserved special praise," said Russia's Sports Minister Pavel Rozhkov.

"She is a real hero, especially after what she has done. She may be small in size, but has a big heart and showed a true Russian character by overcoming all the odds and coming home with a gold medal," Rozhkov said.

Yegorova created a huge media storm after testing positive for the blood-boosting drug EPO (erythropoietin) at the Paris Golden League meeting in July.

She was initially suspended from the championships but was later cleared to compete because the test did not conform to International Olympic Committee (IOC) standards.

Yegorova, who always denied using the stamina-boosting drug, passed another test for the substance at the championships.

"I don't consider myself a hero," a weary-eyed Yegorova told Reuters following her 14-hour flight from Edmonton.

WORST DAYS

"But I wouldn't want anyone to experience the ordeal I went through in the last couple of weeks," she added.

"I'm just an athlete and I came to the world championships to compete. Even during the worst days I never gave up hope that I would be allowed to compete because I know I have not done anything wrong. I'm just glad it's all over now."

The 29-year-old Russian, who won Saturday's 5,000m final with ease, was the subject of a trackside anti-drug protest by British team captain Paula Radcliffe before Thursday's heats.

The world cross country champion brandished a banner reading "EPO cheats out", but her actions were criticised by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF).

Defending champion Gabriela Szabo of Romania, who had threatened to boycott the race, later changed her mind and decided to run but finished eighth.

LEGAL ACTION

Meanwhile, Russia's athletics chief Valentin Balakhnichyov said that Yegorova's case is still far from over.

"We're still studying all the material and we're talking to our legal experts," he told Reuters. "We're considering pressing legal charges against Szabo and her manager Jos Hermens.

"I would like to make it clear that we don't have anything against the IAAF who dealt with this case with a high degree of professionalism and fairness, which cannot be said of Szabo and her manager.

"They began this hysterical media campaign and Szabo accused not only Yegorova but all of our athletes when she said that she would not run against the Russians," Balakhnichyov said.

"If she had something against Yegorova she should have said so but she made the reference to all Russians as if they're all cheating."

"I have no chance of competing against robots," Szabo said.

But Balakhnichyov added: "Yegorova showed both on and off the track that she is a class apart from the Romanian."