France's Martin Fourcade, German biathlon relay team receive gold medals in reallocation ceremony

ANTERSELVA, Italy (AP) — Sixteen years after finishing the biathlon 15-kilometer mass start race at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, Martin Fourcade was awarded his gold medal for the race on Sunday, while Slovak biathlete Pavol Hurajt received his silver and the bronze was given to Christoph Sumann of Austria during a medal reallocation ceremony at the Antholz-Anterselva Biathlon Arena at the Milan Cortina Winter Games.

And 12 years after competing in the 2014 Sochi Games, the German relay team of Erik Lesser, Daniel Boehm, Arnd Peiffer and Simon Schempp received their gold medals. The Austria team of Sumann, Daniel Mesotitsch, Simon Eder and Dominik Landertinger were awarded silver.

The bronze went to the Norwegian relay team of Tarjei Boe, Johannes Thingnes Boe, Ole Einar Bjorndalen and Emil Hegle Svendsen.

Athletes from the 2010 Vancouver Games and the 2014 Sochi Olympics received new medals after all Russian biathlete Evgeny Ustyugov's competitive results were disqualified from 2010 to 2014, “due to anti-doping rule violations based on abnormalities in his Athlete Biological Passport and evidence from the Moscow Laboratory Information Management System,” the International Biathlon Union said in a news release.

The ceremony took place between the men’s and women’s pursuit races in front of a crowd of about 20,000 fans.

Fourcade said he was thrilled to be back in Anterselva to receive a long-overdue medal.

“It was my first podium at the time, my first medal, and it already felt like gold," he said. “Today, being able to celebrate it, both in an Olympic atmosphere and in one of the most iconic biathlon venues is also a special thing, considering the message this medal sends for the fight for clean sport, for justice being done, even if sometimes it takes too long.”

Germany's Peiffer, after receiving his gold, said it was a great feeling to be back with the team.

“We had great times together, and now finally, we are back on the podium,” he said. “It’s kind of weird because it’s a long time since we have been on a podium together. We are very grateful that we got the gold medal now, and I think we deserved it, because we were the best clean team on that day.”

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Germany's Erik Lesser, Daniel Boehm, Arnd Peiffer and Simon Schempp, gold medalists for the men's 4x7.5-kilometer biathlon relay race from the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics celebrate during a reallocation medals ceremony at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Germany's Erik Lesser, Daniel Boehm, Arnd Peiffer and Simon Schempp, back, pose with the gold medal for the men's 4x7.5-kilometer biathlon relay race from the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics with Austria's Christoph Sumann, Daniel Mesotitsch, Simon Eder and Dominik Landertinger, silver medalists, and Norway's Tarjei Boe, Johannes Thingnes Boe, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen and Emil Hegle Svendsen, bronze medalists, front right, during a reallocation medals ceremony at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Martin Fourcade, of France, center, poses with the gold medal for the men's 15-kilometer mass start biathlon race from the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics with silver medalist Pavol Hurajt, of Slovakia, left, and bronze medalist Christoph Sumann, of Austria, during a reallocation medals ceremony at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Martin Fourcade, of France, center, poses with the gold medal for the men's 15-kilometer mass start biathlon race from the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics with silver medalist Pavol Hurajt, of Slovakia, left, and bronze medalist Christoph Sumann, of Austria, during a reallocation medals ceremony at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Martin Fourcade, of France, center, poses with the gold medal for the men's 15-kilometer mass start biathlon race from the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics with Pavol Hurajt, of Slovakia, left, and Christoph Sumann, of Austria, during a reallocation medals ceremony at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo says he’s healthy and wants to play even as the Milwaukee Bucks continue to say the two-time MVP is too injured to take the floor.

Antetokounmpo missed a 10th straight game on Friday night against the Boston Celtics due to what the team has described as a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise. Antetokounmpo hasn’t played since landing awkwardly during a March 15 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

“I’m healthy,” Antetokounmpo told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and The Athletic before Friday’s game. “I hate it when people force me to do things against my nature. I’m a player. I get paid to play.”

For the last couple of weeks, Antetokounmpo has participated in pregame warmups without showing any apparent signs of injury.

Antetokounmpo also noted that the Bucks should have known this about him since the 31-year-old has spent his entire 13-year career in Milwaukee.

Throughout that time, Antetokounmpo has had a reputation for rapid returns from injury, most notably when he hyperextended his knee during Milwaukee’s 2021 playoff run but missed two games before returning to lead the Bucks to their first title in half a century.

“You know who you’re dealing with,” Antetokounmpo told reporters. “So, for somebody to come and tell me to not play or to not compete, it’s like a slap in my face.”

The Bucks still had a remote chance of earning a 10th straight playoff berth at the time of that Indiana game, but they were officially eliminated from contention last week. There’s also the possibility of Antetokounmpo getting hurt again if he returns to action — he has missed a career-high 41 games this season and had two extended absences due to calf strains.

“I understand the circumstances — yes, we’re not going to be in the playoffs,” Antetokounmpo said. “For some people’s eyes, it’s not worth it for me to be out there. But for me, it’s something that goes against my nature.”

Antetokounmpo also wanted the opportunity to play alongside his younger brother, Alex, who made his NBA debut Sunday. There was a possibility of three Antetokounmpo brothers playing alongside each other in the same game, since Giannis’ older brother, Thanasis, also is on the Bucks.

“When my dad passed away, I pretty much raised (Alex),” Antetokounmpo said. “He’s able to be on the team and suit up and chase an opportunity to be great. You really think I don’t want to suit up and play with my brother? Anybody who thinks that is an idiot.”

Antetokounmpo’s desire to play — and the Bucks’ wishes to rest him — drew the attention of the National Basketball Players Association last month.

“The Player Participation Policy was designed by the league to hold teams accountable and ensure that when an All-Star like Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy and ready to play, he is on the court,” the union said in a statement. “Unfortunately, anti-tanking policies are only as effective as their enforcement; fans, broadcast partners, and the integrity of the game itself will continue to suffer as long as ownership goes unchecked. We look forward to collaborating with the NBA on meaningful new proposals that will directly address and discourage tanking.”

This dispute between Antetokounmpo and the Bucks comes at a time when his future in Milwaukee is uncertain. Antetokounmpo’s name dominated league-wide discussions leading up to the trade deadline, though the Bucks ultimately kept him.

Antetokounmpo becomes eligible to sign a four-year contract extension worth up to $275 million in October. If he doesn’t sign the extension, Antetokounmpo could become a free agent after the 2026-27 season, or the Bucks could decide to trade him beforehand.

Now they find themselves at odds over how to handle the rest of this season.

“I don’t know where the relationship goes from there,” Antetokounmpo said. “We’ve got to go to couples therapy.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Injured Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo, center right, talks with an official, center left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)