Niyonsaba DQ'd from 5000m heat - Does anyone have a video of her so-called infraction?

Well, this is a bummer. I do think Niyonsaba belongs more in an "Open" division, but she's clearly worked very hard, never assuming she would qualify, and I was curious to see how she would do. I didn't watch the heat, but based on reading the comments here, it seems like a fairly minor, non-noticeable infraction? Is it possible the meet officials DQed her mostly out of resentment or to avoid further political drama if she did well?

That's an incredibly shallow, immature understanding of individuals like Niyonsaba. (Not to mention, just flat out biologically wrong.) Regardless of whether or not one thinks intersex women should compete in the women's division, jokes like this make it harder for everyone to come to a reasonable accommodation.

There is a way to have a different of opinion on something without insulting the person in question and being cruel.

Sounds like she got Quigley'd.

Karma Police wrote:

Surely though you haven’t banned people for expressing an opinion that someone who is XY should not be competing in any women’s events?

Of course not. But to call her disgusting and a cheat is wrong. We need to be respectful of others.

How would you feel if you were born without a penis but then told you weren't a woman?

It would be very difficult as most people aren't wondering, am I intersex.

comedyrel!ef wrote:

Sounds like she got Quigley'd.

That’s a good term for it.

And it has the right sound.

Quigley’d - when you get DQed in a distance event for taking one step inside the line while you are off balance and gain no competitive edge.

Distance events should require at least three consecutive full strides inside the rail to earn a DQ. Maybe five strides.

Star wrote:

comedyrel!ef wrote:

Sounds like she got Quigley'd.

That’s a good term for it.

And it has the right sound.

Quigley’d - when you get DQed in a distance event for taking one step inside the line while you are off balance and gain no competitive edge.

Distance events should require at least three consecutive full strides inside the rail to earn a DQ. Maybe five strides.

yes. it's just absolutely ridiculous. And it does appear they have discretion to ignore it. (Farah)

Star wrote:

comedyrel!ef wrote:

Sounds like she got Quigley'd.

That’s a good term for it.

And it has the right sound.

Quigley’d - when you get DQed in a distance event for taking one step inside the line while you are off balance and gain no competitive edge.

Distance events should require at least three consecutive full strides inside the rail to earn a DQ. Maybe five strides.

Completely agree. If it's not intentional and it causes no advantage, it shouldn't be an infraction (though I think the max # of steps should be stated)

They should have just made the caster rule more general instead of just for caster’s events.

I always thought that was incredibly shortsighted.

And now they’re grasping at straws to avoid what could have been avoided.

amchugh89 wrote:

They should have just made the caster rule more general instead of just for caster’s events.

I always thought that was incredibly shortsighted.

And now they’re grasping at straws to avoid what could have been avoided.

Yeah, while I don't know how I feel about DSD athletes running in women's track events, she played by the rules, switched events, put in the training, traveled, and qualified. To be DQ'd by a ticky-tack penalty seems bogus. Plus, I really doubt she was getting on a podium with Siffan, Tsegay, and Obiri, and many others.

rojo wrote:

I have banned two people who have called Francine a cheater and disgusting. You two should be ashamed. I have great personal sympathy for her.

Anyway, what happened? We had to break the news to her in the m ixed zone and she was devastated. Had to leave the interview. She had no idea of anythign she might have done. The rule is for going over the rail.

I luckily bumped into her one on one and tried to get more from her later. She said she didn't remember going over the rail but said something about someone bumping her from behind.

She most definitely wasn't DQd for doing anything to McColgan. The rule is 17.3.2 which is going over the inside.

Fans aren't allowed to go to the events but LetsRun is? Jesus.

some consistency please wrote:

It better not be for stepping over the line…. I think it was last olympics farah took a few steps off the track. No advantage really gained but he wasn’t DQ’d.

In fairness, in Rio they just seemed to randomly DQ people for no reason (and the reinstate half of them later), while letting obvious infractions go unnoticed. The officiating was total balls in Rio.

I was extremely frustrated that the announcers chose to focus on both Niyonsaba and McColgan significantly during the race, then when McColgan seemed to get spiked and immediately fall off qualifying position they failed to note it (in fact at one point the camera went back to her and they incorrectly said she was "safely in qualifying position") and then they showed the results and said "well, there's your top 5" and NO mention of the DQ!

This is always a chance to grow the sport, even by a tiny margin. Please, please give us someone with a Gus Johnson level of passion for the sport that actually will convey that energy to the audience.

My wife will allow me to watch 50 hours of Tour de France every summer because Phil and Bob are tremendous narrators of the event (RIP Paul).

I'm so frustrated by this whole story. When a runner in qualifying position like Niyonsaba gets DQed, particularly considering the complicated situation she's in, I expect SOME sort of valid explanation why. But I can find no clips of the race online showing why she was DQed, and no one else seems to be able to say, "Yeah, I saw it and she deserved it."

According to Niyonsaba's Twitter, though, the DQ has been upheld.

I watched the NBC highlight replay and, as you note, no mention of it the DQ. And without a cable subscription, I can't access a full replay.

What possibly shabby behavior all around. As fans, I think we absolutely deserve more than this. If the officials DQed Niyonsaba over a miniscule infraction just to get her as a DSD athlete, what an incredibly BS thing to do. I have no idea why there's nothing I can really find on this. Dammit, even just a CLIP of what the infraction was would help me feel much better about it. but I can't find one, and clearly nothing's been posted here about it.

I hate to get all conspiracy-minded, but part of me wonders whether there's a gentleman's agreement between IOC and the media to just make Niyonsaba go away if they can.

On the NBC Sports feed I watched they noted it and were pretty perturbed by it, though they thought it might have something to do with McColgan's dropping back. And they also did note McColgan's apparent issues, so I'm wondering if I'm watching something different than you. I've very much enjoyed the coverage thus far as it resembles DL coverage (not US-centric/jingoistic, field coverage mixed in, no human-interest breaks, limited ads).