Rio 2016: USA 4x100m Team Appeal Rejected
USA Track and Field's appeal of the disqualification that cost the men a bronze medal in the 4x100 relay race Friday night has been denied.
OMNISPORT
USA Track and Field's appeal against the men's 4x100 metre relay team's disqualification has been rejected.
After finishing third in Friday's final, America's 4x100m team members were in the midst of a lap of honor around the stadium on Friday when they learned they had been disqualified. Officials cited lead-off runner Mike Rodgers for passing the baton to Justin Gatlin before the start of the exchange zone.
Canada will get the bronze in Saturday's medal ceremony after moving up into the vacated third spot on the podium.
"It was the twilight zone. It was a nightmare," Gatlin told reporters. "You work so hard with your teammates, guys you compete against almost all year long. All that hard work just crumbles."
With the disqualification upheld, Canada remains the bronze medalist, behind gold medalist Jamaica and surprising runners-up Japan.
The Jury of Appeal also rejected USA Track and Field's appeal of distance runner Robby Andrews' disqualification from Thursday's semi-finals of the men's 1,500 metres.
Andrews had seemingly qualified for Saturday's finals, but was disqualified for stepping off the track about 50 metres from the finish.