Champion Women, an advocacy group for girls and women in sports, is aiming to help recognize the U.S. Olympic 400 freestyle relay team from 1976.
The group sent out a call to Olympians and Paralympians to nominate the relay for the United States Olympic Paralympic Committee (USOPC) Hall of Fame in the Legend category. The relay consisted of Jill Sterkel, Kim Peyton, Wendy Boglioli and Shirley Babashoff.
“We need your help getting these amazing four women onto the ballot for the USOPC Hall of Fame. It is time to recognize these athletes and their unbelievable accomplishment winning gold against the East Germans who were systematically doping,” the email states. “Before we can get the 1976 Women’s 4 x 100 Freestyle Relay Team inducted into the USOPC Hall of Fame in the Legend category, we need to get them on the annual ballot. If we’re successful we’ll need you help voting later on.”
The deadline to add a nomination is Thursday, February 25, 2022. Please use this form: https://usoc.tfaforms.net/306
The email goes on to list the instructions for voting:
1) Click on the link and select the “Legend” category.
2) Enter your name and information
3) Add your connection to the Olympic / Paralympic movement
4) Select “Legend” Category
5) For nominee name, enter Last Gold (First/ Last name) – (The USOPC has advised us to use this name for relay nomination.)
6) Sport — Swimming
7) Discipline – 4 x 100 Women’s Freestyle Relay
8) Olympic Experience – 1976 Montreal Olympic Games. Gold medal 4 x 100 Freestyle Relay
9) Top 5 Accomplishments
1) Gold Medal Performance
2) Olympic Record
3) World Record
4) The team prevailed against the East German women swimmers, who were systematically doped by the coaches and doctors of their sports federation.
5) This team is a great representative of the Olympic ideals.
10) Top #3 Reasons why this individual (team) should be included:
1) The Olympic ideal of clean sport continues to be threatened by the use of
Performance Enhancing Drugs. This story should be preserved in the USOPC
Hall of Fame as an example to future generations of right prevailing in the best
tradition of the Olympic movement.
2) At the time, the American public, the USOC, and the Press expected these
American women to be gracious losers. But in fact, their performance in the
final event made them tremendous winners and role models.
3) The time has come to recognize the full story and honor 4×100 freestyle relay
team as winners in the “Hall of Fame”. Despite seemingly insurmountable odds, these great athletes prevailed against athletes now known to have been doped with anabolic steroids.
Please submit your nominations by Feb. 25, 2022, Thursday, via this form: https://usoc.tfaforms.net/306
We need all Olympians and Paralympians to help us recognize one of America’s great Olympic performances!
Thank you for your help and support.
The Nomination Committee:
Karen Moe Humphreys: 1976 Olympic Women’s Swimming Team Captain
Marcia Morey: 1976 Olympic Women’s Swimming Team Captain
Gary Hall Sr.: 1976 Olympic Men’s Swimming Team Captain
Steve Furniss: 1976 Olympic Men’s Swimming Team Captain
It was Jill Sterkel not Jennifer Hooker on that relay
What a worthy cause. Medals should be re-awarded as well.