The Paris 2024 Paralympics is getting backlash for what is seen by fans as an unmerited disqualification. Just two metres from crossing the finish line in the women’s T12 marathon on Sunday, five-time Spanish Paralympian Elena Congost was disqualified for momentarily letting go of her tether to assist her guide, Mia Carol Bruguera, who was visibly struggling to continue running. Paris officials ruled the Spaniard ineligible to claim the bronze medal that was otherwise hers.
Bruguera, 57, cramped up near the end of the race; his extreme discomfort was unmistakable as the pair approached the final stretch of the event. Congost reached out to grab Bruguera’s arm just moments before crossing the line to keep him from falling as he struggling to continue moving forward–dropping her end of the tether in the process.
Congost was born with a degenerative vision impairment and competes in the T12 classification–runners in the T12 event must remain tethered to their guide for the duration of their race. The rules make no exceptions for these sorts of extenuating circumstances.
The 36-year-old took gold in the event at Rio 2016 and placed second in the 1,500m at London 2012. She recently returned to competition following the birth of her fourth child.
“I would like everyone to know that I have not been disqualified for cheating, but rather I have been disqualified for being a person and for an instinct that comes to you when someone is falling,” Congost told Marca. On Instagram, the Spanish athlete wrote that she has “no doubts or regrets”.
Fatima El Idrissi of Morocco took gold in the event and set a new world record of 2:48.36, while teammate Meryem En-Nourhi finished second.If not disqualified, Congost would have also gone home with a new personal best of three hours and 48 seconds–but was stripped of that achievement along with her hardware. The bronze medal was instead awarded to fourth-place finisher, Misato Michishita of Japan.
