Outrage as Paralympian gets disqualified for "unfair" reason
Elena Congost, had just finished the T12/B2 run in third place, but was disqualified and had the bronze medal taken from her, for this one simple move.
The 36-year-old was running in the vision-impaired category with guide Mia Carol Bruguera. When her guide faltered with a cramp in the final metres before the finish line, Congost instinctively helped him from falling over and let go of the rope that binds them together.
This is not allowed within Paralympic rules as all runners must be connected to their guide via a tether.
As a result, Japan’s Misato Michishita was elevated to the bronze medal after finishing fourth.
In a heartbreaking interview after the race, a devastated Congost said: “It’s unfair, surreal.”
“The next athlete was three minutes behind me. It was just a reflex action that any human being would have done – holding on to someone who is falling.”
“But that doesn’t mean that there is any kind of benefit or help. In fact, it is clear that I stop dead.
“I can’t find any explanation for this. It’s sad because, in addition, I had just been without a scholarship. And I’m not going to get one now. They will leave me out of everything again when I have shown everything I can do.
“I have not been disqualified for cheating, but for being a person, for helping someone.”
In a separate interview with Spanish outlet Marca, she said that despite being disqualified, she is proud of her actions.
“I would like everyone to know that I have not been disqualified for cheating, but rather I have been disqualified for being a person and for an instinct that comes to you when someone is falling and is to help or support them,” she said.
“I’m devastated, to be honest, because I had the medal. I’m super proud of everything I’ve done and in the end they disqualify me because 10 metres from the finish line I let go of the rope for a second because a person next to me fell face first to the ground and I grabbed the rope again and we crossed the finish line.
“The next athlete is three minutes away from me, so it was a reflex action of any human being to hold on to a person who is falling next to you.”
Fans around the world were outraged at the disqualification verdict and have called for officials to overturn it.
“Shame on you. Give the medal back to Elena Congost,” one fan wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“Where is the Olympic spirit? Elena Congost was disqualified after running 42km and helping her guide not to fall to the ground. She has lost the bronze medal and her sports scholarship. Disgusting," another wrote.
"Give the medal to Elena Congost. This decision ruins the paralympics. How can you be called inclusive if you can’t help a person from falling?” a third added.
Image: X