Gil Roberts

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Gil Roberts

| image = Calvin smith jr.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Calvin Smith, Gil Roberts, Manteo Mitchell

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|3|15}}

| birth_place = Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

| height = 1.85m

| weight = 79.5kg

| collegeteam = Texas Tech Red Raiders

| headercolor = lightsteelblue

| show-medals = yes

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|the {{USA}}}}

}}

Gil Roberts (born March 15, 1989) is an American athlete who specializes in the 200 m and 400 m. He is an Olympic gold medallist and World Championship silver medallist in the men's 4×400 metres relay.

Career

He competed for Texas Tech under coach Wes Kittley at the NCAA level. He was a member of the USA team that won the gold medal in the Men's 4×400 metres relay at the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships.{{cite web|url=http://lubbockonline.com/sports-red-raiders-track/2012-03-11/tech-star-anchors-winning-relay-world-championships|title=Tech star anchors winning relay at World Championships|date=11 March 2012|work=lubbockonline|access-date=14 March 2012}} Roberts won the 2014 US Outdoor championship in 44.53 on June 28 in Sacramento, California.{{Cite web |url=http://www.texastech.com/sports/c-track/spec-rel/062814aaa.html |title=TEXASTECH.COM Roberts Wins Gold at U.S. Championships - Texas Tech University Official Athletic Site |access-date=2014-06-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912172119/http://www.texastech.com/sports/c-track/spec-rel/062814aaa.html |archive-date=2014-09-12 |url-status=dead }}

While competing at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Roberts won an Olympic gold medal in the 4 × 400 m relay.{{cite web|title=U.S. men reclaim the gold in 4x400 relay|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/rio-2016/2016/08/20/mens-4x400-relay-rio-olympics-lashawn-merritt/89062808/|website=USAToday.com|publisher=USA Today|access-date=21 August 2016}} Another Texas Tech athlete, Michael Mathieu won bronze in the same event competing for the Bahamas.

Anti-doping rules violations

Roberts has been issued with three anti-doping rules violations (ADRV) during his career. In 2017 he tested positive for probenecid, but a tribunal hearing found that he "ingested [the] prohibited substance without fault or negligence" after the source was deemed to have occurred after kissing his girlfriend and therefore received no sanctions from the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/40613013 |title=Gil Roberts: Sprinter ingested banned substance by kissing girlfriend |work=BBC News |date=14 July 2017 |access-date=9 September 2024}} The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) challenged the decision, but a tribunal dismissed their appeal.{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.co.uk/olympics/story/_/id/22222268/olympic-sprinter-gil-roberts-passionate-kissing-defense-upheld-appeals-court |title=Sprinter Gil Roberts' 'passionate kissing' defense upheld by appeals court |work=ESPN |date=26 January 2018 |access-date=9 September 2024}}

In 2022, Roberts received a 16 month competition ban after testing positive for unintentional use of andarine and ostarine.{{cite news |url=https://athleticsillustrated.com/american-sprinter-gil-roberts-suspended-16-months-for-doping/ |title=American sprinter Gil Roberts suspended 16 months for doping, for the second time |work=Athletics Illustrated |date=10 December 2022 |first=Christopher |last=Kelsall |access-date=9 September 2024}}{{cite news |url=https://runningmagazine.ca/the-scene/u-s-olympic-gold-medalist-gil-roberts-banned-16-months-for-doping/ |title=U.S. Olympic gold medallist Gil Roberts banned 16 months for doping |work=Canadian Running |date=8 December 2022 |first=Marley |last=Dickinson |access-date=9 September 2024}}

In June 2024, Roberts received an eight-year competition ban after testing positive for ostarine and other prohibited substances.{{cite web|url=https://www.usada.org/sanction/gil-roberts-receives-sanction-second-violation/|title=Independent Arbitrator Imposes Eight-Year Sanction on Track & Field Athlete Gil Roberts for Second Anti-Doping Rule Violation|date=21 June 2024|access-date=9 July 2024}}{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/sports/athletics/roberts-hit-with-eight-year-doping-ban-after-second-violation-2024-06-21/ |title=Roberts hit with eight-year doping ban after second violation |work=Reuters |date=21 June 2024 |access-date=9 September 2024}}{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/articles/c1336z2e8r0o |title=US athlete Roberts handed doping ban for second time |work=BBC News |date=21 June 2024 |access-date=9 September 2024}}