No shortcuts wrote:
USA DQ'd for 170.6a, which has to do with carrying baton in your hand the entire time.
Brazil DQ'd for obstruction, Rule 163.2b. Per that rule, Referee may advance the obstructed team to the next round or order the race re-run at his/her discretion if he/she is of opinion the team was seriously affected by the obstruction. Irrelevant in this case, as USA DQ'd for violation of a different rule.
If the obstruction infraction was before the "carrying the baton" infraction, then wouldn't the obstruction issue logically take precedence?