Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper since 1995

Ukraine’s Anna Bessonova performs with the rope during the gymnastics rhythmic individual all-around qualification at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008. AP The Ukrainian national Olympic team returned from Beijing with a record number of medals, but not scandal-free

t not scandal­free. Ukraine’s athletes came home with 27 medals, of which seven were gold, five silver and 15 bronze. Their performance exceeded expectations and bested their Athens medal count by four.

The team’s performance placed Ukraine 10th in total medals and 11th in most gold medals among 204 participating countries. China surpassed everyone with 51 golden medals (out of 100 total medals), with team USA in second with 36 gold medals (110 total) and Russia in third place with 23 golden medals (72 altogether).

Archery, team fencing, shooting, boxing, athletics and canoeing were Ukraine’s most successful sports. Upon their return, the Ukrainian team was congratulated by National Olympic Committee president Serhiy Bubka, the Cabinet of Ministers and President Viktor Yushchenko.

Earlier this month the government increased cash rewards for medalists and their trainers who will receive Hr 700,000 for gold, Hr 500,000 for silver and Hr 350,000 for bronze medal. Moreover, during the next two years, medalists and their coaches will receive the monthly stipend of Hr 15,000 for those who placed first, Hr 12,000 for second and Hr 10,000 for third.

However, the Olympic team was tainted by two athletes who failed doping tests: silver medalist Lyudmila Blonska and weightlifter Igor Razoronov both of whom were disqualified from the event.

The 30­year­old Blonska has already served a two­year ban after testing positive for steroid use in 2003. Now she was stripped of her heptathlon silver medal and faces a lifetime ban from competitive sports. However, the Ukrainian athlete confessed she was using methyl­testosterone and blamed her husband and coach of physically abusing her and forcing her to use the male hormone.

The 33­year­old Igor Razorov tested positive for the steroid nandrolone after finishing sixth in the 105­kilogram weight class. The International Olympic Committee asked the international weightlifting federation to adjust the competition results and consider any further sanctions for Ukrainian. The federation banned him from the sport for two years.

Also, Anna Bessonova, who took a bronze in the all round rhythmicgymnastics discipline, filed an appeal between the third and fourth round of the competition based on what she thought was unfair judging.

Following the spectacular closing ceremony of the Beijing Games, London officially took over as the next 2012 Olympic host city. The UK Olympics will have a smaller budget ­ 9.3 billion pounds. London will play host to the Summer Olympic Games for the third time.