Natalya Coyle and Arthur Lanigan O'Keeffe are the latest Irish athletes to be upgraded to medal positions at a major event following a competitor failing a drug test.
The pair came home fourth in the mixed relay at the 2015 Pentathlon World Championships in Germany.
The Czech Republic won the event ahead of Russia, with the United States taking bronze.
Delight although at the same time devastated! My grandad & mum traveled to watch that competition & that moment was stolen from us! #World https://t.co/k5vU9xn2k0
— Arthur LOK (@ArthurLOK1) June 30, 2017
One of the Russian team, Maksim Kustov, was recently handed a four-year doping ban by the Russia Anti-Doping Agency, leading the International Modern Pentathlon Union to strip the Russian duo of their medals.
The American pair of Nathan Schrimsher and Margaux Isakse will receive silver medals with Lanigan O'Keeffe and Coyle upgraded to silver.
Both athletes tweeted about the mixed emotions involved with being upgraded to the medal positions, with Lanigan O’Keeffe pointing out that both his mother and grandfather had travelled to Berlin in 2015 and missed out on witnessing a podium finish.
The Irish pair have been in great form this season, winning gold at World Cup IV in Poland at the end of May.
