Taoufik Makhloufi Disqualified from 1500m for "not providing a bona fide effort" in the 800m

Koneko wrote:

oh wow holy crap... wonder why he couldn't just DNS. He was "forced" to line up? Damn.

None of this would have happened if the London schedule was actually DONE PROPERLY.

Overlapping 1500 and 800? What a disaster, have these organizers ever watched another track meet?

Exactly

Championship schedules should be pretty standard and they should always allow the 800/1500 double.

I agree this is a legit rule and he should have been disqualified. But this NOT OVER. He WILL be reinstated.

He needs a note from a local doctor. One phone call from the Algerian Embassy in London to their network of local doctors of Algerian origin (standard info in any embassy) will take care of the doctor's note. Fatigue, upset stomach, he had a headache, etc.

This will save the face of the Algerian Olympic Cmte and provide the justification (cover) for the IOC and IAAF to reinstate him and avoid further controversy.

Bet on it!

Taoufik makhloufi was a bit injured and thats it !!!!!!! And tomorrow , all of you here will see him running like a horse in 1500 m and get te gold medal!!!!!!!!! He worked really hard for it, guys come on check the african champion in 5th July 2012 he was the winner with gold , just 3 weeks ago.with 1.43 the bet time no one can catch him if he could run the 800m.

But just to let know he is fine annnnnnnd he will gettttttttt the goooooold !!!!

Go makhloufi, your are the best, go Algeria

I was all ready to be mad at him, but that picture of him clapping for the other guys in his heat makes me think this rule is dumb. The meet schedule is weird. You should always be able to contest both the 1500 and the 800. He knows he's a medal threat in the 1500 and probably not in the 800.

Maybe he is drugged up, I have no idea, but if he was the next Ramzi he would have dominated the 800 without a care in the world. The conspiracy theories about "deals" to prevent the bad PR about a positive drug test would be completely irresponsible. They give the guy a break from a 2-year ban? For what reason? If they could bounce the guy BEFORE the 1500 final, there would be only good PR. It's re-assigning medals that looks awful.

It's a close call, but I will have to say pulling him out of the 1500 is even more stupid than the clapping in the 800.

How does a event organized by Seb Coe (!) call for overlap in the 1500/800?

Rule #1 in any sporting competition: Know what you can get disqualified for. It's like in any job, know what you can get fired for. I mean, it's not like there are that many things you can do as a middle distance runner that will get you kicked out of the meet - pretty short list, really.

Koneko wrote:

roy jones wrote:

What's the difference between jogging 1:52 and dropping out after 200? Both aren't an honest effort. The 1:52 even more so because it doesn't give him the injury excuse.

I didn't see the race. Did he just stop and walk off? Dude needs some acting lessons. Should have been cluthing a hammy and waiting for a stretcher.

Nah.

By jogging a 1:52 he could at least say he was tired from the 1500.

Remember when Kiprop tried to double in 2009? He ended up jogging a 1:52.

Makhloufi stepped off the track and clapped for the other runners. It was silly.

He should have bent over as if he had cramps, and then claimed he had a sudden bowel movement emergency... They probably couldn't argue with that.

If he couldn't DNS, why couldn't he pull up with an injured hammy in warmup or the first 50-100m, run out of his lane, or something like that?

You mean that GOD (Coe) has decreed that you're not allowed to get injured in the Olympics (like Merritt did)?

At least there's no British runners in the final.

Oh wait!! They could put Baddeley in Makhloufi's place!!!

This is a travesty.

Polepolesana wrote:

Listen Scandinavian Guy, I don't know where you where in January to test Makhloufi's shape, but for your information; he was for more than 3 months in Iten, Kenya around that time and training hard and very focused!

In the 2011 All African Games in Maputo I heard for the first time from this guy and Collins Cheboi and Caleb Ndiku (no 2 and 1 there) invited this guy to come and train with the Kenyans. He won the 800mtr overthere by the way.

I don't know nothing about doping and on Let's run there is always suspicion when it's about Noth Africans, but I don't believe in this type of conspiracy.

So not in shape, everybody knows, known fact etc. I am reasonable embattled into the scene and I am not aware of all those facts you mention.

If they don't reinstall him; that will be the scandal!

Oh please. Guys on training camp with him was shocked by his terrible shape, come easter and he not only beat several great runners in one workout, he then join other runners for another workout right after the first one, and crushed all of them.

I'm glad he is out, this is the olympics most drugged up athlete.

I really didn't like this guys manner and I'll concede that he is suspicious, but I think this rule is stupid.

DQ him from the 800, that's fine. He didn't finish the race.

But to remove him from the 1500m? It's ridiculous.

They had better not put Baddeley in.

I watched the semi online and while lining up he was self massaging his rear end in the area of where the hamstring connects to the ischium...I've strained/torn that several times and am loaded with scarred tissue...running 800 fast on a strain is not good. I can't be the only person to have seen that...as for all the other allegations who knows...

[quote]Livestrong wrote:

Bingo! That is my read too.

The guy stunned everyone who follows these athletes in the diamond league. I watched it live on my laptop. My bro watched it when nbc was airing it in prime time. I was seated watching with him. When he made his move around the 250m mark, my bro, who didn't know the results because he intentionally kept away from the net the whole day said "hizi ni dawa".

That is kiswahili for (literally) these are drugs! Of course he said it in our language and not swahili.

I started laughing. He said it again; "come on! Who can't see that this guy is doped! It is so obviouus! Who is this guy? These guys just show up at the olympics and pull a surprise on everyone and further more, he is North African...."

The. He brought up rashid ramzi in beijing.

In short, if my bro, a young guy can arrive at that conclusion so easily, how about the body that administers the sport?

I think the ioc/iaaf may have suspected what so many of us are suspecting and probably, they found a godsend opportunity to deal with hm once and for all.

They dont want a repeat of ramzi in beijing if they can take care of it now.

Local doctor or no local doctor, I think his goose is well stewed.

Let's see what happens.

The issue isn't whether he's a doper or whether his performance was realistic. The simple problem was that he had ample time to withdraw from the 800m if he didn't plan on trying. He did not withdraw.

He's on the start list for the final on the IAAF site...

Here, here! I watched him train prior to the Olympic Games for two weeks and he trained very hard and was very focused on each and every session.

False start would have been awesome!

Koneko wrote:

Makhloufi stepped off the track and clapped for the other runners. It was silly.

Wejo told me the runner he was cheering for was his training partner. He trains in the same group as Kaki.