Poonia to get her 2012 Olympics sixth-place finish certificate

Krishna Poonia will get her sixth-place finish diploma at the 2012 London Olympics women's discus throw final soon as the International Olympic Committee has written to the IOA in this regard.

Poonia, the 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, had finished seventh in women's discus throw event in London but her position was upgraded to sixth after Russian Darya Pishchalnikova was stripped off her silver medal as she later tested positive for a banned anabolic steroid.

The IOC has now directed the Indian Olympic Association to ask Poonia to return her seventh place diploma so that she can get the sixth-place diploma. IOA Secretary General Rajeev Mehta has now asked the Athletics Federation of India to contact Poonia to complete the formalities.

"We have been informed by the IOC that Mrs Krishna Poonia, who was placed in the seventh position in 2012 London Olympics in women's discus throw, is now placed at sixth position. This is in reference to IOC Executive Board decision concerning Mrs Darya Pishchalnikova who competed in women's discus throw event in London Olympic Games," Mehta wrote in the letter addressed to AFI secretary.

"The IOC has asked us to return the seventh place diploma of Mrs Krishna Poonia before July 8, 2015 to proceed with the reallocation of the same with new ranking. We request you to arrange to submit the seventh place diploma of the athlete at the earliest to enable us to send the same to IOC," he wrote.

Asked about this, Poonia said she will hand over the seventh place diploma once she gets any communication from the AFI or the IOA.