Commonwealth Games 200m: English Runner Stripped Of Gold

England’s Zharnel Hughes has been disqualified from the men’s 200 metres final after pipping Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards on the line at the Commonwealth Games.

Both men clocked 20.12 seconds but Hughes was originally declared the winner in a photo finish.

However officials soon after stripped frontrunner Hughes of the gold medal as they deemed he impeded Richards in the home straight as the pair made contact in the sprint for the line.

Hughes’ disqualification meant Northern Ireland’s Leon Reid, who had finished fourth in the race, was bumped up to a bronze medal while Canada’s Aaron Brown moved up to the silver medal.

Team England are believed to be considering an appeal against Hughes’ disqualification.

IAAF president Lord Sebastian Coe, commenting on the Seven Network, believed Hughes should have been disqualified but predicted a counter-appeal by the English team.

“You can run on the line and you could be 3m ahead and run on the line, there is no material advantage, but if you do happen to impede or clash that will be the argument,” Coe said.

Source: PA