Men's 1500m final - result

DougC wrote:

point taken, it may be against the rules, but "moving out" is pretty common down the home stretch to force the runner behind to run further. However, the double standard still applies. I'm pretty sure a runner is not allowed to run through another and push her out of the way in order to win... which is what Mutola reportedly did.

That's the problem, it's pretty common but it's against the rules, however most indoor runners expect it and wouldn't appeal. I lost a national championship when someone did it to me but there's no way I'd appeal for that. However, when national pride is at stake some teams will appeal and the rules are very clear.

East's finish was the only exiciting thing about the race. Not exactly a classic.

I thought what East did was disgraceful and he deserved to get disqualified, he took Rotich right across the track .

It was just cynical, blatant cheating, there is no other way I can descrbe it.

So he moved from lane one to lane 5, wow, Rotich has no chance to pass him if he keeps moving into his way, illegal, when else have you heard of something like this, moving across all those lanes

Michael, I have never seen anything like it except in cycling, where all sorts of cheating goes on.

I was a Michael East fan until I saw that race on TV last night. Just how desperate is he? how low will he stoop to get a medal at World level I wonder?

Disgraceful wrote:

East should have never been disqualified. It is an outrage. All he was doing was racing. Rotich would have done the same to him.

If East were African, he'd have gotten away with it. Look at Mutola and her crap in the 800. The Africans always go sqwaking to the officials in any close, physical finish when a medal is at stake, as they know Westerners and their PC brainwashing stand a good chance of giving in. Look at all the elbowing, pushing, forcing the Africans can pull without being dq'd. Amazing.

I was always under the impression that without contact u can do pretty much anything. I personally have done this and i acutally did get DQued but my coach told me i did the right thing. Can anyone provide a link to the actual rule or the NCAA rule. Does it give a specific lane that your aloud to move out to?

from an earlier post on this thread:

Phil. wrote:

WonderGrog wrote:

Where are all the guys bitching about a slow race now?? Most of them would have ripped everybody in the race a new asshole if this was the US Champs.

And too bad for East. What he did was no less blatant than what Myers was doing to Gruber the last 20 yards of their 15.. Indoor is a contact sport.

Maybe so but the rules don't reflect that!

See NCAA rule 5-5 for example.

No BLOOD No FOUL. If the arm and specifically the forearm are not extended then NO FOUL. If the forearm comes out in the final 100 then disqualification is necessary. I didn't see it so I don't know.

. wrote:

I was always under the impression that without contact u can do pretty much anything. I personally have done this and i acutally did get DQued but my coach told me i did the right thing. Can anyone provide a link to the actual rule or the NCAA rule. Does it give a specific lane that your aloud to move out to?

I'm sorry but your coach was wrong! Here's the relevant section from rule 5-5:

ARTICLE 3. The referee, after consulting with the appropriate officials, shall

disqualify a competitor who:

a. Jostles, cuts across or obstructs another competitor so as to impede the

other runner?s progress. Direct contact is not necessary; any action that

causes another runner to break stride or lose momentum is grounds for

disqualification;

b. Veers to the right or to the left so as to impede a challenging runner or

forces the challenging runner to run a greater distance;

My question is why are we quoting rules from the NCAA for IAAF and USATF Competition??? Just a question.

Jonny O. You are a complete twat. Michael East will probably be relieved that you are no longer a fan of his.

Corbs, so you applaud cheating then do you, do you think its ok to do what he did? what about taking drugs? is that ok too as long as you don't get caught?

how low will he stoop i wonder?

It seems that a lot of you guys are commenting here without actually having seen the race. What East did was extreme obstruction. He forced Rotich from lane one to lane five within the space of 14 strides! He said in an interview afterwards that "The only way I was going to take the Kenyan was to push him into the barrieres. There was nothing left in my legs" (quotes from the British papers 'Daily Mail' and 'Telegraph'). Even Britain's team chief Max Jones admitted to the press that he would have protested. The 'Daily Mail' writes "had the race been five meteres longer, the poor Kenyan would have finished in the first row of seating."

Maybe these quotes give some clarity. It wasn't that he moved out from lane one to lane 2 or 3. The protest would have never been successful in that case. He moved over the whole track! I'm sure Ceplak put in a protest against Mutola, but it wasn't successful as the obstruction wasn't bad enough.

Jonny - I think you're reaction is a bit OTT. I wouldn't put this in the same category as a Dwain Chambers scenario as you seem to be implying. East obstructed Rotich, in the heat of the moment and has admitted it as such. There was a protest, was disqualified and Rotich was given bronze. East should learn from his mistakes, but there's no need to crucify him for it.

Bazza I can assure you that if he was a freind of mine I would say exactly the same thing, the difference is, I would say it to his face.

WonderGrog wrote:

My question is why are we quoting rules from the NCAA for IAAF and USATF Competition??? Just a question.

probably because the person doesn't have an IAAF rules handbook in front of them, but ncaa manuals are easy to come by.

just my guess.

and probably get your ass kicked

East had to go, rotich was coming like a train, he is about 5 feet 3 max and East has a whole foot in height on him and probably about 60 pounds. You cannot use your body as a barrier like that, he may not have been using his hands but he was physically pushing him into the wall with his body, as far as I could see East had no complaints, that says it all for me...

I thought it wa s acrap race to be honest, scrappy, ridiculously slow, typical of indoors, most of those guys are second rate and would never get near an outdoor final. Indoors is just dull...