History was made Friday at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, England, when every runner in a single race was disqualified.
The disqualification of the five athletes in the third heat of the men's 400 meters represented a first in athletics, according to IAAF statistician Mark Butler.
Advertisement
Qatar's Abdalelah Haroun, who claimed the silver medal in Portland two years ago and won bronze in last year's outdoor Worlds in London, was given a red card after jumping the start gun by some distance.
After a restart, world leader Bralon Taplin won the heat and was followed across the line by Austris Karpinskis, seemingly earning them a place in the next round.
However, Taplin and Karpinskis, as well as the other two runners Alonzo Russell and Steven Gayle, saw their times wiped off for prematurely stepping out of their lanes.
The competitors will be able to appeal the decision.
