Natalia Rodriguez gets disqualified from Women's 1500m (WC Athletics 2009)

© NRK Sports

Spain's Natalia Rodriguez was disqualified as the winner of the women's 1500 metres here on Sunday leaving reigning world champion Maryam Yusuf Jamal of Bahrain to retain her crown.

The 30-year-old Rodriguez was adjudged to have pushed over Ethiopian Gelete Burka down the back straight and although the African crashed to the ground, she picked herself up and finished the race.

The Spanish team decided not to protest the decision after watching a video replay, according to an IAAF spokesperson.

The disqualification means defending champion Jamal received the gold having clocked 4min 03.74secs while Great Britain's Lisa Dobriskey took silver in 4:03.75 and Shannon Rowbury of the United States got bronze having clocked 4:04.18.

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Category:

Sports

Tags:

• world
• championship
• athletics
• 2009
• berlin
• natalia
• rodriguez
• spain
• women's
• 1500

[Kilu71]

You're an idiot. Burka was on the inside lane and there was absolutely no room to go past her on the inside. The spaniard shoved the favourite who was almost guaranteed to medal to the ground. She should have waited untill there was an opening on the *outside* like 99,9 % of the middle distance runners do, because them's the rules.

[jmaguilar1962]

Burka sabía que Jamal le atacaría en la última curva e intentó evitarlo desplazándose en la calle 1 y dejando un hueco en la cuerda del estadio. No sospechaba que Natalia la pasaría con mucha más facilidad que la bahrainí, y cuando vió que la catalana se colaba por dentro abrió el brazo izquierdo para estorbale.

Y todas sus rivales tuvieron que conformarse con verle la espalda.

¡Enhorabuena Natalia!

[Hem3fiction]

that was very unfortunate, what could Burka do about that. Both girls tried to make a move on either side of her

[santibarrios07]

Animo Natalia! Estas apunto de volver a demostrar q fuiste la mejor y lo sigues siendo.. Animo!!

[newromantic888]

Respond to this video... Burka had a metre width from herself and Jamal. She could have easily moved towards Jamal but she chose to try and push Natalia out and when that didnt work she gave up and dove to the track. Disgusting. Shame on her and shame on Ethiopia. Lets hope Jamal puts Ethiopa back where it belongs at the top of womens 1500m running.

[newromantic888]

@Kilu71 You are an idiot. Watch it from 2.50. pause/play. You will see the Spanish had plenty of room. Burka left her half a lane. Then Burka realised her mistake and moved across to the left and pushed Rodriguez off. Burka is pathetic. Want a class athlete watch Jamal. She is supreme.

[newromantic888]

@Kilu71 Thats middle distance racing my man. We make space where and when we can. If u raced like me u would now.

[newromantic888]

@techbiscuit You dont know middle distance racing . Plenty of races have been one by athletes going inside of the leader. Its up to leader not leave a space on the inside that can be exploited.

[newromantic888]

@lamrof She was gone. She would not have won.

[newromantic888]

At the end of the race writhing on the track to gain attention and influence the judges is just disgusting. Mistake 3. This is probably the worst display of bad sportsmanship I have ever seen on the track.

[newromantic888]

It obvious Burka had little left and was well beaten otherwise she would have accelerated out of the situation. Still she could have remained on her feet and fought on and retaken the lead. She chose to go down. Mistake 2.

[newromantic888]

After watching the incident 10 times more and slowing it down its clear Burka moves to the ouside of her lane to fend off and elbow the girl in the second lane and prevent her from ovetaking. This leaves room on the inside. She then senses the Spanish on the inside and darts across the inside lane to cover her and as a result impacts the Spanish girl. Burka keeps pushing Rodriguez to the inside of the track until Rodriguez has to step off the track altogether. Mistake 1. Tactical Error.