Members of the four-man sprinting team disputed the ruling.
“(Gatlin) never got the stick until he was inside the zone,” Rodgers said. “You can see that on the tape.”
The team had already seen a replay: NBC allowed the runners to take a long look at the tape as they came off the track.
“Looking at it, it seemed like I didn’t have full possession of the stick going into the zone,” Gatlin said. “It looked like (Rodgers) still had his hands on the stick.”
But, Gatlin added, “I don’t know the details of the rules.”
“(Gatlin) never got the stick until he was inside the zone,” Rodgers said. “You can see that on the tape.”
The team had already seen a replay: NBC allowed the runners to take a long look at the tape as they came off the track.
“Looking at it, it seemed like I didn’t have full possession of the stick going into the zone,” Gatlin said. “It looked like (Rodgers) still had his hands on the stick.”
But, Gatlin added, “I don’t know the details of the rules.”
Rule 170.7
“The baton shall be passed within the takeover zone,” it reads.
“The passing of the baton commences when it is first touched by the receiving athlete and is completed the moment it is in the hand of only the receiving athlete.
Passing of the baton outside the takeover zone shall result in disqualification.”
A runner doesn't know the rules of the relay and then questions the call. “The baton shall be passed within the takeover zone,” it reads.
“The passing of the baton commences when it is first touched by the receiving athlete and is completed the moment it is in the hand of only the receiving athlete.
Passing of the baton outside the takeover zone shall result in disqualification.”
It appears they thought it was done almost backward of the rule.
Bad Park You Relay baton
