Ireland’s Robert Heffernan competing at the European Championships in Barcelona, 2010

Robert finished fourth in both the 20km and 50km walking races at the European Championships in Barcelona in 2010. Russia’s Stanilov Emlyanov won the 20km title but his medal has now been taken off him due to irregularities in his biological passport. Robert will now receive the bronze medal.

Meanwhile, Ian O’Riordan, in the Irish Times, recalls:

Last month, Athletics Ireland began seeking the European Indoor bronze medal now due to Roisín McGettigan after Russia’s Anna Alminova was also banned retrospectively for a doping offence.

Alminova won the 1,500 metres at the European Indoors in Turin back in 2009, with McGettigan finished a close fourth. Alminova was stripped of all performances from February 2009, as well as being handed a 30-month suspension, due to irregularities in her biological passport.

Derval O’Rourke is also due a bronze medal from the 60 metre hurdles at last year’s European Indoors in Gothenburg, after gold medal winner Nevin Yanit from Turkey was also later handed a two-year ban.

Rob Heffernan set for belated European bronze medal (Irish Times)

Previously: Rob Heffernan Walks It