Mekhissi-Benabbad is an idiot.

running backwards champ wrote:

Zurich 2014 @Euro_Champs · 6m

CONFIRMED: The French counter protest has been rejected. Yoann Kowal is the European 3000m steeplechase champion

The French need to give Sleazy a call.

Best part is how unnecessary and OTT it all was.

He was just showing security that there were no explosives...THIS time!

I think the DQ is lame. The guy might be a dick - I don't really know mucy about his past antics. But you can't disqualify him in this race based on his past. All her did was take his shirt off. That's what sports people do. Soccer players are always doing it. Track athletes do silly dances, shoot imaginary arrows, comes up with lame "signature" moves like the Mobot, etc, etc. Shirts are removed all the time. What's so bad about taking it off a little before the race is over, given the fact that it didn't affect anybody or cause the event referees any difficulties?

I can understand saying it's dumb or whatever. That's a matter of opinion. Personally, I don't really care too much one way or the other. But DQ'ing the winner of a championship event for an infraction that had no effect on the results is truly stupid. It's like the bureaucrats of the sport reminding everyone what a bunch of old-fashioned, power-obsessed ninnies they are.

El Keniano wrote:

Best part is how unnecessary and OTT it all was.

Absolutely. What a giant dumba##!

I think the guy was a jerk in the past. I took huge issue with him. but, for some reason, this time, I didn't find any issue with his antics. Must be this cool late summer/early fall air! Making me all happy and nostalgic, haha. Of course, the guy could expect to get in trouble and the country of the 4th place guy is always gonna jump on the opportunity ,as they did.

It seems to me like he has no consideration for his competitors. He may as well have flipped them off.

No excuse for a DQ. Benabbad was clearly celebrating, not taunting his opponents, so there's nothing unsporting about it. He didn't even do a dance afterwards. IAAF has damaged its credibility.

France should find a way to push this to the CAS and embarrass the IAAF.

What a total F'ing F-Tard!!!!!

Track would be a lot more popular amongst the masses if a little fun was applauded rather than condemned, so long as it didn't affect the other competitors. If his act had impeded the other runners, then DQ him for sure. It didn't. I've hated the guy in the past, but this type of thing is good for distance running - whether disrespectful to the competition or not. If the competition don't like him celebrating down the homestretch, they should run faster. The fourth place finisher should be ashamed that his country protested on his behalf. He doesn't deserve a medal and I'm sure that he knows it.

This guy is on Testosterone or some other drug that is helping his performance and making him extremely aggressive. He's got way too much energy after the end of a race.

I agree, and another point, where do we draw the line? Nobody complains when somebody raises their arms in victory as they cross the line. Is taking your shirt off really any worse than raising your arms in victory? Not to me it isn't.

Nobody DQ'd Eamonn Coghlan when he pumped his fists and stared at his Russian competitor with 100m to go in the 1983 WC 5000m, before he passed him for the win. To me, that was a much more taunting move than a guy who is clearly winning his event taking his shirt off. And I thought Coghlan's move added to the excitement. Of course, it all depends on who you're pulling for - if the Rusky had done it, everyone would have vilified him.

If they're going to penalize him for exessive celebration they should go the NFL route. Let the result stand and make him start 15 yards behind everyone for the 1500m.

Agreed. This is ridiculous. I guess that Usain Bolt should have also been disqualified for his celebration during the 2008 Olympics 100m ....

aghast wrote:

Agreed. This is ridiculous. I guess that Usain Bolt should have also been disqualified for his celebration during the 2008 Olympics 100m ....

Not ridiculous, just very unsportsmanlike. Usain lifted his jersey after he crossed the line. Quite different.

Bad Wigins wrote:

No excuse for a DQ. Benabbad was clearly celebrating, not taunting his opponents, so there's nothing unsporting about it. He didn't even do a dance afterwards. IAAF has damaged its credibility.

Agreed. Football players do more egregious things in every single match. And people wonder why athletics isn't more popular. The fastest guy in the race got DQ'd for some obscure violation that had no impact on the race itself. Stay classy, IAAF. (Dis)honourable mention: Spain.

It's the EAA not the IAAF...... justsoyaknow

douglas burke wrote:

Bo Bo Black Sheep wrote:

Here is the first mascot push:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpFFtZbkTJQ

Here is the second one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkMklUNTN6E

in both cases it is clear he is being silly, i am also sure in both cases the mascots knew what he would do, and it was preplanned comedy/silliness.

In the first one the mascot acts surprised when it happens. It did seem silly.

But how you could say the second one was silly comedy is beyond me. And now, after seeing it, I feel it gives context to the first one.

He can't be the brightest because it seems like he's never even bothered to read his own sport's rule book. When he went to celebrate with his coach and crew, you could tell they knew he'd messed up. They made him put his the jersey back on And the coach looked worried as. , like he knew what was coming.