Sports

Controversial Disqualification At Track And Field World Championships Exposes World Athletics Ineptitude

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Rai Benjamin Disqualified Controversy Track And Field
© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Rai Benjamin won the men’s 400-meter hurdles at the World Championships of track and field. However, the American had to wait for his victory to be confirmed after a controversial disqualification.

It took approximately 15 minutes for World Athletics to authenticate the win.

This latest track and field dispute presents a stark contrast to what happened with Cole Hocker. The governing body of the sport made two very different decisions based on two very similar scenarios.

Cole Hocker was disqualified.

Hocker won the gold medal in the 400 flat at the Olympics in Paris. He was expected to be on the podium at the World Championships this summer.

Unfortunately, World Athletics chose to remove him from competition prior to the Finals for “jostling.”

The governing body ruled that Hocker made illegal contact with an opponent on the backstretch that impacted his position. But if you look closely at the stride of the German runner beside him, Robert Farken, that is not true.

The head jerk of Farken did not stem from an impediment by Hocker. He was exhausted.

And yet, Cole Hocker was disqualified from the Finals for jostling. It was a bogus ruling.

What else was the reigning gold medalist supposed to do?!

Rai Benjamin was not disqualified.

Before I go any further, let me very clear that we are not comparing apples to apples. These two track and field controversies are different. It is not an exact science.

With that being said, they are very similar.

Rai Benjamin, the reigning Olympic champion, earned his first title at the World Championships in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 46.52. He won by a pretty large margin.

However, Benjamin was disqualified for hindering another athlete on Rule TR22.6.3 — knocking down a hurdle thus impacting another athlete. His final hurdle dislodged the hurdle in the lane next to him.

Rai Benjamin Hurdle
World Athletics

Ezekiel Nathaniel was in the lane next to him when Benjamin’s final hurdle fell. The Nigerian hurdler finished in fourth place and was initially moved to bronze.

Rai Benjamin Disqualified
World Athletics

Upon further review, Rai Benjamin was reinstated as the champion. Ezekiel said that was the right decision.

The initial ruling was rightfully overturned. World Athletics made the right decision.

And yet, Hocker was still forced to sit out even though his “jostling” had an equal or lesser impact on Farken as Benjamin’s hurdle did Ezekiel. Bogus.