'US protest broke Olympic code'
2008-08-21 11:58
Beijing - The US team's successful protest against Churandy Martina for running out of his lane in the 200m final was against the "spirit of the Olympics", according to a Dutch Antilles official.
Martina clocked the second fastest time of 19.82s in Wednesday's final, won by Jamaican Usain Bolt in a new world record of 19.30s.
American Wallace Spearmon finished in third before being disqualified for running out of his lane.
The US team immediately protested Spearmon's disqualification but ultimately accepted the decision after viewing footage of the race which led them to protesting against Martina.
'Make a small statement'
The organisers of the athletics meet at the National Stadium upheld that second protest, meaning Martina was stripped of his medal.
The Dutch Antilles minister of sport, Omayra Leeflang, said: "It's not in the spirit of the Olympics.
"It's a pity for a big country like the United States to make such a small statement."
The final podium was headlined by Bolt, with American duo Shawn Crawford and Walter Dix granted silver and bronze after finishing fourth and fifth in the initial shakedown.
Martina insisted, before his disqualification was announced, that he was innocent of any wrongdoing.