The Olympic gold medal won by Cuban taekwondo athlete Ángel Valodia Matos at the 2000 Sydney Games was auctioned this week for $51,620, as announced by the U.S.-based RR Auction house. The entity described Matos as a "martial artist" who "holds a high, if not controversial, position in the annals of Olympic competition."
The auctioned item was described as a gold-plated silver medal, measuring 68 mm and weighing 193 grams, minted by the Royal Australian Mint. The obverse features a "seated Victory" with the Colosseum in the background; the reverse displays the Olympic rings over the iconic Sydney Opera House, with the city's Olympic torch to the right, and the sport and category engraved at the top and bottom edges, "Taekwondo" and "Men under 80 kg."
The medal comes complete with the original blue ribbon embroidered in silver with the legend "Sydney 2000" and the original round case with a metal base and hinged plastic cover. The medal has slight discoloration on the front and a small area of gold loss over the engraved sport on the reverse.
On Valodia Matos, Cuban sports journalist Julita Osendi once wrote, "In the history of Cuban sports, there are names that, despite having touched Olympus, remain in the darkest ostracism."
It is important to note that the taekwondo athlete was permanently banned from the World Taekwondo Federation and the International Olympic Committee after assaulting a referee at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, following the judge's decision to award the third-place match to the Cuban athlete's opponent.
Besides being the Olympic champion of Sydney 2000 and the World Cup champion in France the same year, Valodia Matos also won three gold medals in the Pan American sports, and gold and silver in the Pan American Games in Rio 2007 and Winnipeg 1999, respectively. Currently, he is a coach at the School of Sports Initiation (EIDE) in Holguín.
In addition to Matos's medal, 183 Olympic items were also auctioned, including five other medals won by Cuban athletes. Among them were the gold medal of the baseball team in Athens 2004 and the silver medals in baseball in Sydney 2000 and Beijing 2008, as well as the silver medal of wrestler Yasmani Lugo in Rio de Janeiro 2016. For the baseball medals, won collectively but awarded individually to each team member, the names of those who decided to sell their medals were not disclosed.
Details About Ángel Valodia Matos and His Olympic Medal Auction
Here are some frequently asked questions about the auction of Ángel Valodia Matos's Olympic gold medal and his career as a taekwondo athlete.
Who is Ángel Valodia Matos?
Ángel Valodia Matos is a Cuban taekwondo athlete who won the gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. He has also won several other international competitions, including the World Cup and Pan American Games.
Why was Ángel Valodia Matos banned from taekwondo?
Matos was banned from the World Taekwondo Federation and the International Olympic Committee for life after assaulting a referee during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
What was special about the auctioned Olympic gold medal?
The auctioned medal was a gold-plated silver medal from the 2000 Sydney Olympics, featuring unique designs such as a seated Victory and the Sydney Opera House, and it came with its original blue ribbon and case.
What other Cuban Olympic medals were auctioned?
Other auctioned Cuban medals included the gold medal of the baseball team in Athens 2004, silver medals in baseball in Sydney 2000 and Beijing 2008, and the silver medal of wrestler Yasmani Lugo in Rio de Janeiro 2016.