Tadese Tola was the most humble and shy guy we ever interviewed. That did not keep him from using his elbows in a close battle for top positioning at Saturday's Peachtree 10k in Atlanta. AJC reports:
Fourth-place finisher Tadese Tola has been disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct after elbowing another runner in the elite men’s portion of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race.
Fifth-place finisher Boaz Cheboiywo of Kenya filed a protest, saying he was elbowed by Tola in the final 30 meters of the race.
After Cheboiywo’s protest was filed, Tola’s agent was contacted and informed he and Toda had 24 hours to produce an appeal, said Atlanta Track Club spokeswoman Tracy Lott. No appeal was filed within the 24 hour period.
Cheboiywo now holds the fourth place title and its $2,500 prize.
Lott said she does not know of any similar protests or controversy in past Peachtree Road Races. The Atlanta Track Club declined to release its video and photo footage of the elbowing.
mzungo.org says: good on you Tadese, racing is not Kindergarten! :)