Robert Farken: The contact with Cole Hocker "wouldn't have made any difference"

If you are behind runners, you should go around, not through them. Doesn't matter who Is Olympic champion, and who has more chances to medal. Everyone should respect the rules, running is not MMA.

You think an international field of unrelated runners somehow had the presence of mind after 1100 meters to work together against one runner, in a race where 6 qualify?

All Hocker had to do was not hog the rail like his life depended on it. Maybe learn from Laros who knows that sitting just outside the lead runner prevents you from getting boxed.

Cole is an American, that’s enough for a DQ right there. Look at all the posters virtue signalling by piling on Cole. These are the same people who go apoplectic defending Africans who trip people, cut them off, shove opponents, knock over opponents water bottles in marathons and more. But that’s different.

Cheating, it's bad for the sport that passion for completion is now called cheating. Minor infraction at best that had no impact on the outcome. Cole should be in the final because he fairly qualified, yes fairly.

Nice board, post went to wrong thread

To everyone complaining about Cole “cheating”, what are your thoughts on Paul Chelimo never getting DQed even though he was way worse in the 5k races he ran?

Posts like this are why this site is a joke. Its beyond obvious that Cole had absolutely no choice but to do what he did.

Oh, someone's mommy complained? Your DQ'D !!!!

Yeah and Hockers problem was confirmation bias from Paris where his gamble paid off on the biggest and most important stage possible. So it's easy to see how he unconsciously was just like "a gap will open" - a mean a year ago he tried it, it wasn't there and then incredibly the second time around it was. It even happened for him in the US 5000m final and the one time it didn't in the 15, it didn't cost him anyway.

What he failed to factor in was the difference in the type of race. This wasn't a test of endurance race - in Paris those 4 guys were well clear of anyone and the question was who wasn't going to break. That race there was so different with multiple guys able to make moves in the final 100m from behind Nillessen and Farken.

Cole just ran a tactical disaster of a race, and deserved the DQ. No excuses on him.

Did Farken have to poo?

Presumably they determined Mallick caused it... But regardless don't you have to put in an honest effort for the rest of the race to be reinstated? It's not fair that he gets to the final after jogging it in while the rest had to put in the effort.

Farken is just a super nice guy. He advances to the final, so no reason not to be humble and cool about it. The video footage speaks for itself.

You are making this site a joke. Cole could go around like everybody else, but he never wants to do. One time he must learn the lesson. You can't go through bodies.

Hard disagree. From the arial view it is SO obvious that Cole forces a space where there is none. He pushed himself between two guys, and Farken immediately started going backwards as a result, after having very clear forward momentum. No other way to see this. Laughable to call it “incidental”.

I think there’s a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding here.

letsrun is making it seem like the Germans had something to do with hockers disqualification. From what I saw hocker was disqualified by the judges. The judges initial result was Hocker disqualification so 7th becomes 6th and they advanced the German. This was the official result of the race before anyone can protest.
then the USA appealed and it was turned down.

the same with the Italian girl disqualified for the same infringement. I called that one live too. I haven’t even seen a replay of that. But I assume the same thing the judges at the meeting disqualified her the moment it happened. This is just the same as at a regular meeting with no tv. The judges just disqualify you the moment it happens.

This is a lame DQ. Nobody even stumbles. Did anybody watch bodies flying everywhere when Sophia O Sullivan was running? I don't think she was responsible but since it's been kind of a meme my daughter and I were laughing at the carnage. Somehow it always happens in races with her, even when she is somewhere else on the track. Then in the next 1500 an Italian girl was barging everywhere and people were falling all over the place. Was anyone DQed there?

Also, I don't think Hocker is going to be angry about this. It sucks but he had to make a choice in the moment and it didn't work out for him. I don't see him running the 5000m angry. He'll probably be a lot more focused on it though since it's now his only shot at hardware. This will make him dangerous and he's definitely ready to run.

I can't understand the level of hate for Cole Hocker. I'm not at all a fan of Josh Kerr but I don't watch meets hoping for his total failure, and when he's been successful I have a ton of respect for how hard he worked to get there. What is wrong with people?

This is a GREAT point and totally true.

I wish they hadn't DQd Cole. But right when it happened, I was worried it would be a DQ and by the letter of the law it was a DQ.

That being said, they often use some professional judgement and protect stars. Why wasn't Hassan tossed from the Olympic Marathon?

I said at the time, if the Assefa went down, it had to be a DQ. But she didn't go down, so they didn't DQ her.

What about Mo Farah when he took a full step inside the rail on a turn during the final lap of the 10,000 final in 2017? Why was no one DQd there?

To answer your question. Yes the Italian was disqualified.

Hassan wasn't removed from the marathon because the clash wasn't her fault. She was alongside Assefa when they got to the corner, which makes Assefa the one at fault for not leaving space. You can't hinder people from behind or barge through them (which Hocker did) but once you're alongside you have the same right to the space. These are basic racing rules in every sport from running to cycling to motor racing.