FRANCE’S MAHIEDINE MEKHISSI-BENABBAD was stripped of his gold medal and disqualified from the European athletics championships today after peeling off his shirt before he crossed the line in first place of the 3,000 metre steeplechase.
His compatriot Yoann Kowal was promoted to the gold medal position instead although the French delegation can lodge an appeal over Mekhissi’s exclusion.
The Spanish team had made the original protest over Mekhissi after a race in which their athlete Angel Mullera had finished fourth.
“I find that the protest lodged by the Spaniards is anti fair-play,” said Ghani Yalouzsa, the technical director of the French athletics federation.