Little known rule that meant disqualified 100m runner could have completed race

The glitz and glamour of being an Olympian can often overshadow the disappointment of narrowly missing out on a medal.

It could be due to a pulled muscle, or a sudden lapse in judgement, which can end an athlete's Olympic campaign.

Though in the case of Steven Sabino, the 18-year-old was on the receiving end of a devastating false start, which got the sprinter disqualified from the men’s 100 meters preliminary round at the Paris Olympics on Saturday (3 August).

For those unaware, a false start in Olympic sprinting is when a runner leaves the starting blocks before the starting gun fires. This results in an immediate disqualification.

The Washington Post sports reporter Adam Kilgore commented: "It’s hard to imagine any Olympic experience more brutal, though, than that of Mozambique sprinter Steven Sabino.

"In the second heat of the men’s 100 meters preliminary round at Stade de France, Sabino was called for a false start and ejected from the race.

"He pleaded his case to the official to no avail, then walked off the track in shock, hands on head."

Painful to see Steven Sabino 🇲🇿 Disqualified from prelims H2 #Athletics #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/5t7Vkpjh8C

— Funsho ⭐️⭐️ (@BD1010JA) August 3, 2024

However, according to guidelines from the World Athletics, formerly known as the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF), it seems that the start referee has the ability to overturn the decision.

If there is a doubt, the referee can allow athletes to run under protest if there is an illegal start 'and there is good reason to suggest that the information is inaccurate, or there is an equipment malfunction'.

Although the rules state: "No protest will be allowed if the SIS is working correctly and a false start has been indicated.

"If a protest is based on an Athlete’s incorrect exclusion from a race and it is upheld, after the race, the Athlete should be afforded the opportunity to run on his own to record a time in the event and, if applicable, be advanced to subsequent rounds."

Meanwhile, viewers simply felt gutted for the Mozambique sprinter as he walked off the track in the Stade de France.

"That was so hurtful to watch for Steven Sabino from Mozambique. I hope he'll come back stronger," one viewer tweeted.

As a second wrote: "Got to feel for Steven Sabino - 18 year old from Mozambique taking part in the 100m and he has a false start in the heats and his #Olympics is over before it even began #Paris2024."

A third penned: "Poor Steven Sabino man.

"He’ll be at World Juniors later this month.

"No doubt a favourite to make the final."

Team GB's current medal count - 30

Gold medallists

• Rosalind Canter, Laura Collett, Tom McEwen: Equestrian - Eventing team
• Tom Pidcock: Mountain Bike - Men's cross country
• Nathan Hales: Shooting - Men's trap
• Tom Dean, Kieran Bird, James Guy, Jack McMillan, Matthew Richards, Duncan Scott: Swimming - Men's 4x200m freestyle
• Alex Yee: Men's triathlon
• Lauren Henry, Lola Anderson, Hannah Scott and Georgina Brayshaw: Rowing - Women's quadruple sculls
• Bryony Page: Gymnastics - Women's individual trampoline
• Emily Craig and Imogen Grant: Rowing - Women's lightweight double sculls
• Ben Maher, Harry Charles and Scott Brash: Equestrian - Team jumping
• Sholto Carnegie, Rory Gibbs, Morgan Bolding, Jacob Dawson, Charlie Elwes, Tom Digby, James Rudkin and Tom Ford: Rowing: Men's eight

Silver medallists

• Anna Henderson: Cycling - Women's individual time trial
• Adam Peaty: Swimming - Men's 100m breaststroke
• Tom Daley and Noah Williams: Diving - Men's synchronised 10m platform
• Adam Burgess: Canoe Slalom - Men's canoe single
• Matthew Richards: Swimming - Men's 200m freestyle
• Kieran Reilly: Cycling - Men's BMX Freestyle
• Helen Glover, Esme Booth, Sam Redgrave and Rebecca Shorten: Rowing - Women's coxless four
• Oliver Wynne-Griffith and Thomas George: Rowing - Men's pair
• Benjamin Proud: Swimming - Men's 50m freestyle
• Duncan Scott: Swimming - Men's 200m individual medley

Bronze medallists

• Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen: Diving - Women's synchronised 3m springboard
• Kimberley Woods: Canoe - Women's slalom
• Laura Collett: Equestrian - Eventing individual
• Beth Potter: Women's triathlon
• Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix and Lois Toulson: Diving - Women's synchronised 10m platform
• Oliver Wilkes, David Ambler, Matt Aldridge and Freddie Davidson: Rowing - Men's coxless four
• Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne and Becky Wilde: Rowing - Women's double sculls
• Jack Laugher and Anthony Harding: Diving - men's synchronised 3m springboard
• Heidi Long, Rowan McKellar, Holly Dunford, Emily Ford, Lauren Irwin, Eve Stewart, Harriet Taylor and Annie Campbell-Orde - Rowing: Women's eight
• Emma Wilson: Sailing: Women's windsurfing