RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, Aug 18 – Kenya’s Ezekiel Kemboi who had initially been awarded bronze after finishing third in the men’s 3000m steeplechase final won by compatriot Conseslus Kipruto will leave Rio without a medal, after he was disqualified for line infringement.
The French team lodged a protest claiming Kemboi, who announced his retirement soon after the final, had stepped outside the track in the fourth lap after clearing a water jump.
Frenchman Mahiedine Mekhissi moved into third place for his third Olympic medal, after two silvers in London and Beijing.
It is only the second time that Kemboi will be leaving the Olympics without a medal after Beijing where he placed seventh.
The Athletics team manager Joseph Kiget filed the appeal seeking a review of the jury decision.
The jury of appeal met and re-examined the video of the race, and confirmed that Kemboi had indeed stepped outside the track.
The track and field governing body, IAAF’s Jury of Appeal ‘met and examined the video of the race, confirmed that Kemboi, after clearing a water jump, had stepped outside the track on the curved part before the home straight,an upsetting ending to the double Olympic and four times world champion’s career.
The rule that disaqualified Kemboi Rule 163.3d (b) states that in all races (or any part of races) not run in lanes, an athlete running on a bend, on the outer half of the track as per Rule 162.10, or on any curved part of the diversion from the track for the steeplechase water jump, shall not step or run on or inside the kerb or line marking the applicable border (the inside of the track, the outer half of the track, or any curved part of the diversion from the track for the steeplechase water jump).