Ugly scenes as Team GB star squares up to French runner after race following shocking on-track incident

Controversy has engulfed the 2024 Paris Olympics after two runners squared up to each other following a huge incident in the men's 5,000 metre heats.

On the final stretch of the first heat of the men's 5,000 metre race, taking place in Paris' Stade de France, chaos erupted on the track.

A total of four athletes found themselves on the floor, with some forced in to forward rolls in order to stop themselves from landing on their faces.

That included Team GB's George Mills - son of former England and Leeds United footballer Danny Mills - who was left struggling on the track floor.

After finally crossing the finish line after all of his competitors, he squared up to French runner Hugo Hay pushing him in the chest.

Footage from the incident appears to show Hay and Mills tussling as the runners went on to the final straight, with Mills then tumbling alongside three others while everyone tried to fight for track position. Canada's Mohamed Ahmed also fell earlier in the race.

Hay didn't fall and qualified for the final, taking up the seventh qualification spot.

When asked by media after the run what he said to Hay, Mills said: "I'm probably not allowed to say. I haven't seen anyone but there'll be an appeal, I hope.

"It was a perfect qualifier for me. I was thinking nobody in this field can keep up with me and then bang hit the deck. But what can you do?"

Fans took to X to give their views on the matter, with them divided on whose fault it was.

One said: "Unfortunately this looks like George Mills' fault - got himself in a bad position and caused chaos trying to push to the front.

"Mills then confronting France's Hugo Hay in a pointing and shouting match after crossing the finish line was a really bad look."

A second said: "Terrible performance by George Mills and a terrible attitude afterwards."

And a third posted: "In real time I thought Hay pushed the British runner which is why I thought he was going to get DQ'd, but watching it again it might've been the other way which could be why Hay wasn't DQ'd."

But others said Hay should be disqualified.

One critic of Hay wrote: "George Mills has every right to be kicking off at the end of that 5000m. Hugo Hay shoves him into the other runner and leaves him on the deck.

"Was under the impression that it's not allowed and can be a DQ. He's cost runners a chance at the final."

Mills won silver in the 2024 European Championships in Rome when competing in the 5000 metre race.