Great Britain stripped of Olympic medal dating back 124 YEARS as IOC agrees to credit France in historical records ahead of this summer's Games in Paris

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Great Britain has been stripped of a medal won 124 years ago after the International Olympic Committee confirmed it would 'rectify its historical records'.

The silver medal, which was won by British-born cyclist Lloyd Hildebrand in the men's 25km race in Paris 1900, has now been credited to France after an executive board meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The IOC, who recently conducted research ahead of this summer's Olympics Games in Paris, have discovered that Hildebrand was French, despite being born in Tottenham on Christmas Day, 1870. 

In their announcement on Thursday, the IOC said: 'The medal in question was won by Lloyd Hildebrand, who competed in two cycling events and finished second in the men’s 25km race.

'As was the norm then, and for several later editions of the Olympic Games, athletes had only to send the number of their licence, established by the national federation where they were regularly competing, and pay the entry fees to compete at the Games. 

Great Britain were stripped of a silver medal dating back 124 years by the IOC on Thursday

The IOC, led by president Thomas Bach, recently conducted research ahead of this summer's Paris Games and discovered that their records from the 1900 Olympics needed changing

The IOC learned that British-born cyclist Lloyd Hildebrand, who won the silver medal in the men's 25km race in 1900, was actually French - and they have altered their historical records

'National Olympic Committees (NOCs) were not involved in the process, as they are today. 

'Recent research has now concluded that, even though Hildebrand was a British citizen, he brought up in France, and competed for a French club before and after Paris 1900. 

'Based on this newfound information, the IOC EB decided to apply the same policy as in previous cases brought to the IOC’s attention.

'The medal won by Hildebrand will now be credited to France instead of Great Britain in the official records of the Olympic Games Paris 1900 and in the IOC’s database.'

The British Olympic Association told the BBC: 'We were aware of the change of status for the medal, and have ourselves benefited in such circumstances before.

'We shall try to win one back later this summer!'

Team GB, who will be looking to win a medal back at the Paris Games this summer, were dealt a major blow on Thursday after it was revealed that two-time gold medallist Katie Archibald would be ruled out after breaking her leg in a freak gardening accident. 

The British cyclist, 30, was aiming to compete in the team pursuit, madison and omnium at next month’s Olympics. The Scot had surgery on Wednesday but will not have sufficiently recovered in time to ride at her third Games.

‘I tripped over a step in the garden and managed to, somehow, dislocate my ankle, break my tibia and fibula, and rip two ligaments off the bone,’ wrote Archibald on Instagram. ‘What the heck.

Katie Archibald, 30, has been ruled out of the Paris Olympics after a freak gardening accident

She revealed the news on Instagram on Thursday, sharing that she has undergone surgery

'That was on Tuesday and since then I've been in full princess mode. Had surgery yesterday to pin the bones back together and reattach the ligaments. Then hopefully this afternoon I'll be going home.

‘A hundred thank yous for the fabulous doctors, nurses, radiographers, porters, physios, surgeons and more at the Manchester Royal Infirmary.

‘A hundred apologies for what this means for the Olympic team, which I've been told won't involve me.’

Great Britain are expected to announce their women’s endurance squad for Paris on July 4.