12/08/2012
The International Fair Play Committee has presented Special Prizes to American decathletes Ashton Eaton and Curtis Beach for the exemplary spirit they have displayed while competing.
The award ceremony took place at German House – the London 2012 headquarters of the German National Olympic Committee – and the prizes were presented by IOC Vice President Thomas Bach, IAAF President Lamine Diack and Dr Jeno Kamuti, President of the International Fair Play Committee.
The International Fair Play Committee highlighted Beach’s “act of fair play” that took place at the USA Olympic Track & Field Trails in Eugene, Oregon earlier this summer. Coming into the last event of the decathlon – the 1,500m – Eaton had a chance to break the world record. As the stronger middle distance runner, Beach was in the lead with Eaton approaching him towards the end of the race. Beach immediately moved aside to the third lane, slowed down, and cheered Eaton on. Eaton ended up breaking the decathlon world record as well as winning the 1,500m.
The International Fair Play Committee is an IOC-recognised organisation created, amongst others, by UNESCO in 1963. Since then it has provided recognition of acts of fair play through various prizes.