Elena Congost, Spanish track and field athlete who won medals in 2012 and 2016 Paralympics Games, was unfairly denied of a Bronze Medal in Marathon T12 in Paris 2024 due to breaking one rule: releasing the tether that connected to her guide.
Congost, who is visually impaired, run alongside her guide Mia Carol. Rule 7.9 on the World Para Athletic Rules and Regulations says that athletes must retain the tether attachment during the whole race. But, just a few meters before the finish line, Carol stumbled. In order to help him, Congost droped the tether momentarily.
Technically, she broke the rule of not releasing the tether, but had she not do that, her guide could have fallen to the ground. So not only her disqualification was cruel, it also didn't make sense, as the fourth runner, Japanese Misato Michishita, was three minutes behind.
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Naturally, Congost was heartbroken after being denied a Bronze medal, and appealed the decision to the International Paralympic Committee. But no result: the Committee sees that case as closed.
Andrew Parsons, president of the Paralympic Committee, said in a recent visit to Spain that her case "will be an example to see if that rule must be changed", as "it was evident she didn't seek any unfair advantage".
He also reminds it that it is not up to the Committee, but to the World Para Athletics, a federation within the Committee, which has to review their rules.
But "within the Committee that case is closed. Elena will pursue other legal ways and she is in her right".
"Sometimes doing things right doesn't mean being rewarded"
After the widespread criticism, Spanish Paralympic Committee awarded Congost a grant equivalent to a Bronze medal.
"My eldest son, who is six, didn't understand what was going on. He was asking, 'Why have you been punished for helping him?' As a mother, what I always try to teach is that if someone needs help, you have to help them", Congost said to CNN.
"I had to explain that injustices exist in the world and that sometimes doing things right doesn't mean being rewarded". In a later interview on EFE, she admitted she'd do it again, even if it was a rival who was falling down.