Dec. 27, 2007

Members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team, including several Tar Heels, have received belated recognition as recipients of the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor bestowed by the U.S. Congress.

The honors were confirmed on Dec. 17 for the 461 members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team, among them Karen Shelton (field hockey), Sue Walsh (swimming) and Al Wood (basketball). Walsh and Wood both competed collegiately for the Tar Heels. Shelton has been UNC's field hockey coach since 1981. Carolina alum Larry Brown was an assistant coach for the 1980 U.S. men's basketball team.

Following the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Summer Games, Congress enacted a law authorizing President Jimmy Carter to present each member of the team with a gold-plated medal on behalf of Congress. The Congressional Record indicates that Congress intended to award Congressional Gold Medals. However, for financial reasons, the athletes received gold-plated bronze medals instead of gold medals. For that reason, they were not officially documented as having received Congressional Gold Medals.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Olympic Committee began working with several other parties to have the medal designated as a Congressional Gold Medal. The Clerk's office of the House of Representatives changed the designation earlier this month.