Jamaican sprinting legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is on the centre of drama and debate after withdrawing from her 100m semi-final on the final minute beneath mysterious circumstances.
The 37-year outdated, competing at her last Olympics and seeking to declare a medal within the occasion for the fifth consecutive Video games, was a late scratching simply minutes earlier than the race was slated to start.
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The Jamaican Athletics Federation have reportedly advised World Athletics that Fraser-Pryce’s withdrawal was as a result of an harm; nonetheless, confusion continues to reign given she stays on the Jamaican group’s 4x100m relay group for later within the week.
Teammate Tia Clayton described her absence as ‘fairly stunning’; and video footage surfacing from behind the scenes in Paris has prompt a probably farcical situation could also be in charge.
Simply hours earlier than the occasion, the footage reveals Fraser-Pryce and American Sha’Carri Richardson being denied entry to the warm-up monitor.
The rationale? Apparently, that the pair had arrived on the venue in personal autos moderately than through their official group shuttles.
Fraser-Pryce was heard complaining to officers that organisers had ‘modified the rule yesterday’.
“The way you going to alter the rule after which not say?” she continued.
“So that you’re asking all of the athletes who, for no matter motive, don’t keep within the (athlete) village, they will’t come by way of the gate? We got here by way of this gate yesterday and went by way of safety and it was OK. They need us to go all the way in which as much as the place everyone is exiting … that’s loopy!”
Channel 9 commentator Gerard Whateley described the situation as ‘a catastrophe for Paris’ if the rule change is certainly what brought about Fraser-Pryce’s withdrawal.
“There was a rule change within the warm-up space and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has fallen on the fallacious facet of it. She has been denied entry,” Whateley mentioned.
“So, moderately than withdrawing, she has [been] withdrawn – and it appears as if there’s video proof of her pleading her case to get in. It is a catastrophe for Paris if that seems to be the case.
“If there’s something that’s modified between yesterday and right this moment forward of the semi-finals and the best ever feminine sprinter has been denied entry to the stadium to compete in a semi-final… that’s proper up there with the Seine being unfit to swim in.
“It’s sketchy for the second.”
Richardson, nonetheless, did take part in each the semi-finals and last of the 100m, claiming silver behind St Lucia’s Julien Alfred.
