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Great Britain disqualified from 4x400m relay final at the European Team Championships after accidentally naming shot putter

  • Rabah Yousif meant to run with Ethan Brown, Lee Thompson and Martyn Rooney
  • Somehow British team officials contrived to instead enter Youcef Zatat
  • Zatat is a shot putter who was a squad reserve and not in the country

A shambolic administration error caused Britain to be disqualified from the 4x400m relay final at the European Team Championships on Sunday night after they inadvertently named a shot putter to run the first leg.

It had been planned that Rabah Yousif, a 2014 European relay gold medallist, would lead off Ethan Brown, Lee Thompson and Martyn Rooney in Poland.

But somehow British team officials contrived to instead enter Youcef Zatat, a shot putter who was a squad reserve and not in the country. The team hierarchy were on Sunday night investigating how the gaffe happened.

British team officials managed to enter shot putter Youcef Zata into the 4x400m relay final

Performance director Neil Black said: ‘It is gutting for the athletes involved. There was an error with the declaration process and we are exploring exactly what happened.

‘We’ll be reviewing with those involved in detail over the next day or so. The athletes were amazing. They were informed and took it on the chin.

‘It is the worst way to finish the event and we apologise to those who were looking forward to seeing the GB men’s 4x400m team doing battle as we know they would have competed with excellence.’

Rabah Yousif was supposed to lead off Ethan Brown, Lee Thompson, Martyn Rooney in Poland

Britain finished the event in fifth place in the wake of the blunder, having started the final day of the three-day competition in fourth place. Poland took the title on home soil.

Britain only sent a moderate-strength team to Poland but the situation will be a significant disappointment to a set-up that invests heavily in its relay programme. Yousif has been part of 4x400m squads that took medals at each of the past three European Championships as well as bronze medals at the 2015 and 2017 World Championships.

Earlier in the day, Ben Williams, the 2009 world youth champion, beat his lifetime best by 40 centimetres in leaping 17.14m to win the triple jump. Richard Kilty also won the 200m in 20.66sec.


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