Four Olympic athletes lost their medals from the Athens Games after re-tested samples from eight years ago were positive for doping, the International Olympic Committee said Wednesday.

During the 2004 Athens games, the athletes tested negative. But recent re-testing with newer and more modern technology of around 100 samples in regards to banned substances from the Games showed that all four of them were tested positive for anabolic steroids.

Ukraine's shot put champion Yuriy Bilonog was stripped of his medal (gold), as well as women's shot putter Svetlana Krivelyova of Russia (bronze), discus thrower Irina Yatchenko of Belarus (bronze) and Belarussian hammer thrower Ivan Tsikhan (silver).

The IOC also said Wednesday that a case involving a fifth athlete, who's name was not released, is still pending. The number of doping cases from the Athens Olympics is now 31 after 26 positive tests, which is the most in any Games, according to Reuters.

Doping charges have circulating around American athletes as well. Lance Armstrong was dropped by Nike Inc., in October because of doping charges surrounding his cycling career. The company terminated its contract with Armstrong on the same day that he announced he is stepping down as chairman of the Livestrong cancer foundation over the never-ending doping scandal he faced for years.

"Due to the seemingly insurmountable evidence that Lance Armstrong participated in doping and misled Nike for more than a decade, it is with great sadness that we have terminated our contract with him," a Nike statement read. "Nike does not condone the use of illegal performance enhancing drugs in any manner."

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency accused Armstrong of using banned substances as far back as 1996. He denied the accusations but said he would not fight the charges against him. He then lost his Tour de France titles and the USADA banned him from participating in professional cycling for the rest of his life.

Tags
Olympics