Norwegian kayaker Eivind Vold received a Pierre de Coubertin international award for fair play for his action after last year's Canoe Sprint World Championships, when he disqualified himself from the final of the men’s 5000 metres event in Montemor-o-Velho.
Vold crossed the finish line of last year’s canoe sprint World Championships in Portugal in the 5000 metres event in third place, but decided to return the bronze medal when he realized he had passed a rounding buoy on the wrong side. Subsequently, the medal went to Spanish kayaker Javier Hernanz and the sporting gesture received a lot of attention in the Spanish media.
“I am very proud of Eivind and his action after the World Championships. It is not easy to return the first World Championships medal. The story says everything about what Eivind's core is and that honesty is an important value for us in paddling,” said sports director of the Norwegian Canoe Federation Eirik Verås Larsen.
The international fair play award carries the name of French Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games. Many sport superstars received this award in the past, among them Sergei Bubka, Emil Zátopek, Sir Bobby Charlton, Stefan Edberg, Pete Sampras and Wayne Gretzky.
Source: https://www.dagsavisen.no/sport/eivind-vold-far-fairplaypris-1.1582852
Photo: Eivind Vold Facebook page
3.10.2019
