In Personal Bid, EOC Head Buys Salumäe's Seoul Gold Medal
Both of Erika Salumäe's Olympic golds may stay in Estonia after a Sotheby's auction featuring the track cyclist's personal trophies and other possessions.
Estonian Olympic Committee head Neinar Seli, who for many years figured on top 50 lists of the country's richest people, bought the gold medal from Seoul for £25,000 (€29,000).
The Barcelona gold fetched a similar price, but was sold over the Internet or telephone. As a result, the buyer was not immediately disclosed.
Salumäe, 52, auctioned off 16 other lots, including trophies, mementos and equipment such as the bicycle from Barcelona, all the way down to her personal Olympic souvenirs. The souvenirs went for 100 euros at Sotheby's, while the bicycle was bought for 8,000 euros.
The wrongs and rights of selling an Olympic medal have been the talk of Estonia since the announcement of Salumäe's decision was made on October 18.
The cyclist, who currently lives in Spain and is said to be battling ill health, won golds in both Seoul and Barcelona.