Report: U.S. Men’s 4×100 relay team has appeal rejected, remain disqualified
By Andre Pruitt
U.S. Men’s 4×100 relay team is protesting their disqualification.
The day of track and field events on Friday was one to remember. Friday saw the great Usain Bolt’s farewell after dominating for three straight Olympic games. Bolt and his 4×100 teammates were able to capture the gold for the third consecutive Olympics. Though for the U.S. Men’s 4×100 team, it was one to forget.
Japan would capture the silver and the U.S. received the bronze medal, or so they thought. That perceived Bronze medal came with a bit of controversy. As the U.S. learned they were disqualified while parading around the track with their U.S. flag after the race.
Team U.S.A was disqualified after lead-off runner Mike Rodgers was ruled to have passed the baton to Justin Gatlin outside the first exchange zone of the relay. This disqualification would elevate fourth place Canada to the bronze medal.
While video replays show a clean exchange of the baton from Rodgers to Gatlin, it’s not completely clear about whether Gatlin had taken possession of it before Rodgers got inside the start of the 20-meter passing zone.
In the track and field handbook, this rule (Rule 170.07) states that: “The baton shall be passed within the takeover zone. The passing of the baton commences when it is first touched by the receiving athlete and is completed the moment it is in the hand of only the receiving athlete. In relation to the takeover zone, it is only the position of the baton which is decisive. Passing of the baton outside the takeover zone shall result in disqualification.”
Gatlin, the runner charged with taking the baton too early, is as expected upset about the incident. He stated, “It was the twilight zone. It was a nightmare. You work so hard with your teammates, guys you compete against almost all year long. All that hard work just crumbles.”
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Gatlin and his teammates did not receive the news they hoped for as their appeal was heard and rejected, according to Sports Illustrated’s Tim Layden. This is a disappointing outcome for the relay team who became the ninth relay team competing at the Olympics or world championships since 1995 to be disqualified or fail to get the baton around the track.