An athlete faced disqualification following an incident where he seemed to push a fellow competitor, causing the latter to fall after the finish line.
On Sunday, March 9, the Spanish Under-20 Indoor Championships in Salamanca saw Guillermo Sanchez claim victory in the 1,500m race.
The 18-year-old athlete secured his triumph with a recorded time of 3:54:55.
As Sanchez celebrated by raising his hands at the finish line, two other 18-year-old runners, Daniel Lopez and Mario Palencia, were fast approaching from behind.
In the split seconds that followed, second-place hopeful Lopez seemed to shift to the right, possibly to block Palencia or to avoid Sanchez’s celebration.
However, it was reported that Palencia pushed Lopez just before the finish line, as captured in video footage that shows Lopez losing balance and falling.
Marca, a Spanish news outlet, reports that Palencia was disqualified for unsportsmanlike behavior, receiving a red card under article RT7.1.
The incident occurred after reported clashes between the pair during the race, especially in the final lap.
Similarly, another incident unfolded on March 7 during a 4×200 meter relay at Liberty University, Lynchburg, in the US.
Kaelen Tucker, from Brookville High School, endured a concussion and possible skull fracture after being hit by a baton on the head during her relay leg.
Footage reveals Tucker being struck by a baton held by Alaila Everett from I.C. Norcom High School.
After the impact, Tucker is seen leaving the track, then collapsing.
In an interview with WSET ABC 13, Tucker recounted: “So, on the back curve, I kind of got cut off, and I tried to pass her the first time, so I let her go ahead… So, as we were coming up in the middle of the curve, we were bumping arms a lot. So, I got a little more on the outside of the curve to go around her.”
“When I finally pushed through to get in front of her, that’s when she hit me in the head with the baton,” she added.
The footage has gained widespread attention on social media, leading to calls for Everett’s ban from the sport.
In a tearful response, Everett asserted the incident was not deliberate.
“They are going off on one angle,” she emphasized.
Describing her perspective, she explained: “After a couple times of hitting her with my baton, I got stuck behind her back like this and it rolled up her back. I lost my balance, and when I pumped my arms again, she got hit. I know my intentions and I would never hit somebody on purpose.”
Tucker’s family has since pursued legal action for a protective order, while event judges disqualified Norcom High School for Everett’s ‘contact interference.’