European championships: Topless runner stripped of gold

It may have appeared to be a decent thought at the time however Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad's unusual festival in the home straight of the men's 3,000m steeeplechase at the European titles was to cost him dear.

Approaching the last hindrance, the Frenchman had the race and gold decoration as good as done, having an enough time under control to showboat by taking off his running vest before placing it into his mouth and waving to the swarm.

Fans in the Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich sneered as he crossed the completing line clear of his colleague Yoann Kowal in eight minutes 25.30 seconds — his third straight triumph in the occasion at the titles after 2010 and 2012.

The 29-year-old had the vicinity of psyche to return his top after the completion, yet the harm was carried out.

He was at first demonstrated a yellow card as a cautioning by an authority, however a claim by Spain for the benefit of fourth set player Angel Mullera prompted his preclusion.

His French group held up a counter-dissent yet that was rejected, with Mekhissi-Benabbad precluded under IAAF rivalry runs 143.1, 143.7.

Mullera was elevated to the bronze as aftereffect of the decision.

"I find that the challenge stopped by the Spaniards is hostile to reasonable play," Ghani Yalouzsa, the specialized executive of the French games alliance, was cited by AFP.

Anyway the twofold Olympic silver medalist is no more odd to contention. In the wake of winning his 2012 Euro gold in Helsinki he was censured for pushing a mascot who offered him a blessing.

The prior year, Mekhissi-Benabbad was included in a punch-up with French buddy Mehdi Baala at the 2011 Monaco Diamond League gathering, exchanging blows while they were still on the track and acquiring a five-month suspension from their organizatio