Aussie Matthew Glaetzer has been robbed of a bronze medal in the men’s sprint.
In extraordinary scenes where officials took more than an hour to review footage, Glaetzer was eventually relegated in the third race against Scotland’s Jack Carlin and had his bronze medal taken off him in a decision Aussie cycling great Katey Bates called an “absolute travesty”.
While Aussie teammate Matthew Richardson went on to win gold in the event, Glaetzer’s bronze medal farce has got the cycling world talking.
Bates blew up when commenting for Channel 7 as officials finally announced their verdict after an extensive review.
Officials ruled Glaetzer had made contact with the Scottish rider as he moved past him around the bend in the decisive third race.
Bates said the contact was not enough for Glaetzer to have been punished so severely.
There were also suggestions Carlin had initiated the contact after he moved off his line and got in the way of Glaetzer unfairly. Carlin was seen to have wobbled briefly as they made contact but did not appear to be protesting the result.
In the end, it was announced that Glaetzer had been relegated, gifting Carlin the bronze medal.
Bates said it was a complete injustice.
“I don’t agree. If they are going to be that picky they need every camera angle and they sure need a super zoom, she said.
“I’m having nothing of it. The any time limit contact is when Jack Carlin swung back up the track and even touched Matt Glaetzer. If anyone got impeded it was Matt Glaetzer. But the judges, you have to respect their decision. I’m not sure I respect this one to be honest.
“I want to because I think rules are rules but I think this is a pretty crappy decision. I’m devastated for Matt Glaetzer. I don’t see how the Australians will accept this and don’t feel robbed. This is an absolute travesty in my mind. I don’t even think Jack Carlin will be pleased at that turnaround. You want to win fair and square, and that is the most ridiculous relegation I have ever seen.
“I’m very devastated for Matt Glaetzer. And I think it is a poor interpretation.”
“Glaetzer was seen to be absolutely crushed when the verdict was announced in a heartbreaking scene.
“You can see it in his face. This decision has just broken him, it is not fair in my estimation,” Bates said.
“He doesn’t have a right of appeal. It is probably why the decision has been taken so long because they were deliberating it, and certainly Australians were arguing as hard as they could and fighting the case for Matt Glaetzer.
“This is just absolute heartbreak for him. The look on his face from him, guys, there have been a lot of tears tonight at the velodrome for happy reasons and now sad ones.
“I won’t give my opinion. But I think what everyone in Australia is thinking right now and I think the same as that man on our screens. We are absolutely devastated having the bronze medal taken from him after the superhuman efforts of the last couple of days. Totally devastated.
She said the rule book is as clear as mud when it comes to the issue.
English cycling legend Chris Hoy also said it was wrong that the quicker cyclist did not win the race.
“I’m Scottish and a Jack supporter of course, but you have to say that the fastest rider won that race,” he said of Glaetzer.
“The only question is, did it impact as Glaetzer went past? I think initially he was trying to defend himself and prevent Jack from swooping up the track and blocking him. Jack didn’t, Jack held his line.
“But Glaetzer was just a little bit ham-fisted and hit him. If he just had literally two inches higher, he would’ve breezed past Jack and it would’ve been fine. But knocking Jack, it could’ve affected the result.”
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