Rooney wants investigation into relay ‘foul play’
MARTYN ROONEY suspects foul play was behind the disqualification of the British men’s 4x400m team after Brazil benefited by taking a place in the final.
Rooney (right), who ran a superb anchor leg to bring the team home as third fastest qualifiers, called for an investigation into their expulsion.
They were disqualified because a judge determined that Matt Hudson-Smith had overstepped the line on the third leg. Runners have to be behind when they receive the baton. British Athletics, appealed the decision using video footage from the BBC but it was rejected because it could not be proved that Hudson-Smith had not crossed the line.
‘I think it might be foul play,’ said Rooney. ‘I don’t want to say it’s corrupt because we don’t know and I don’t have evidence but it’s crazy how three teams are disqualified and Brazil have found themselves in the final.
‘I understand they ran very well for them but they didn’t qualify for the final and that should be it. It’s not in the spirit of the Olympics to go and look to get people disqualified.
‘I’m pretty angry to be perfectly honest. I felt that we hadn’t done anything wrong, ran out of our skins and just had it taken away from us. But we’re powerless to change it, even though I know we’re in the right. ‘As far as I’m aware, the rule is that if your foot is across the line you’re disqualified but if you’re on the line you’re OK. So we’re basically going off a judge’s decision where the judge believes his foot crossed the line. I’m not sure how they can justify it. I don’t know if NBC had better footage but I don’t think they’d help us out because we might beat the USA in the relay, so it’s not in their interests.’ India were also disqualified for the same offence after originally securing their place in the final, while Trinidad and Tobago were disqualified for a lane violation.
It meant Brazil, who had finished outside the qualification spots, were gifted a spot in last night’s final. Athletics’s world governing body, the IAAF, said: ‘The decision to reject the British protest was made late last night by the Jury of Appeal. Apparently it was a clear case.’
Rooney added: ‘It’s a very bitter pill to swallow. I can only heap praise on how the guys ran.’