The Spanish Paralympic Committee (CPE) confirmed this Thursday that World Para Athletics, the International Paralympic Athletics Federation, has informed it that it does not agree to its request to be awarded a bronze medal, on an exceptional basis, to the visually impaired athlete Elena Congost.
The Catalan was third in the T12 category marathon at the Paris Paralympic Games, but she was disqualified for letting go of the rope that linked her to her guide, Mia Carol, by trying to help him when he was suffering from cramps and was about to fall a few meters from the finish line and when he had a wide distance from the fourth classified, the Japanese Misato Michisita.
The judges removed the bronze medal from Congost under the World Para Athletics (WPA) regulations that refer to the failure to comply with the obligation to be connected at all times, the athlete and her guide with the tether (rope), from the beginning of the race to the finish line.
The Spanish delegation immediately presented a claim, which was not upheld, so an appeal was filed before the Jury of Appeal alleging that this disqualification formed “part of the so-called measures or decisionsyes field of play, that are not reviewable, except in a very limited type of assumptions that did not apply in the present case,” said the CPE.
He stressed that the application of the rules of the game in the course of sports competitions corresponds to the judges, and re-arbitration is not possible when the aforementioned sports authorities have proceeded to apply the rule to the event. “As indicated, and in coherence with the doctrine of the Court of Arbitration for Sports (TAS), it is “chose not to file an appeal against the judges’ decision,” he pointed out.
However, “given the unjust situation generated, and beyond the application of sports regulations carried out”, The CPE sent a petition to the International Paralympic Committee (ICC) and World Para Athletics (WPA) to request that, based on what happened, a bronze medal be awarded to the Spanish athlete “in an exceptional manner.”
No competitive advantage gained
The committee considered that sports regulations should not establish that disqualification occurs in those cases in which, without obtaining the slightest competitive advantage, the athlete is forced to momentarily release the tether to assist or attend to your guide in a situation of justified assistance.
But World Para Athletics has responded to the CPE to report that the request made is not granted, “although said international organization states that it positively values ​​the values ​​of solidarity and sportsmanship demonstrated by Elena Congost”.
It must be remembered that the Spanish athlete, Paralympic gold medalist in the marathon in 2016, had previously put her case in the hands of the well-known Belgian lawyer Jean-Louis Dupont, the great defender of the ‘Bosman Law’ that changed the world of football and whose law firm will be in charge of defending your case in court.
“Upon learning that the athlete herself, Elena Congost, is considering taking legal action for her requalification in the event and/or the awarding of the bronze medal, the CPE states that it respects the athlete’s right to wear them. carried out, while at the same time making itself available for any collaboration that may be required in this matter and that is within the scope of its powers”, stressed the organization chaired by Alberto Durán.