Greene, Dragila Dethroned at World Track
Maurice Greene’s six-year reign as 100-meter world champion ended in pain Monday when he hobbled across the finish line next-to-last in his semifinal heat.
Also dethroned was U.S. compatriot Stacy Dragila, who had won the only two previous world crowns in the women’s pole vault but failed to win a medal this time.
In yet another disappointment for the American team at the World Championships, Raasin McIntosh fell on the eighth of the 10 hurdles in the women’s 400-meter hurdles and didn’t finish. She had to be helped off the track.
At the same time, track and field’s world governing body ordered U.S. team officials to punish sprinter Jon Drummond for his tantrum in Sunday’s 100 quarterfinals by Tuesday night.
And, adding insult to injury, some fans in the Stade de France crowd whistled in derision as “The Star-Spangled Banner” was played during the gold-medal ceremony for women’s 100 champion Kelli White.
Greene’s absence from the 100 final later Monday wiped out a long-anticipated showdown with world-record holder Tim Montgomery, who sped into the final by finishing second to U.S. champion Bernard Williams in their semifinal heat.
Greene, who entered the world meet as a three-time defending champion, got off to a great start but slowed midway through the race. His face contorted in pain, and he fell far behind the leaders of the heat.
Greene grabbed his left leg as soon as he crossed the finish line.
“I got a great start and from my start I just felt my quad muscle pop,” Greene said. “I just kept trying to go through it, but it just kept getting worse and worse as I went down the track.”
Greene had not competed in a sprint race for six weeks until the world championships, and has not won a race since June. He has struggled with injuries since winning his third straight world championship in August 2001 in Edmonton.
Greene said he does not expect to run on the U.S. 400-meter relay team at the World Championships.
Also missing from the final will be Drummond, who was disqualified for a false start in Sunday’s quarterfinals and then threw a tantrum that forced a 45-minute delay in the running of his heat.
Drummond sprawled on the track, preventing the heat from resuming. Then he returned to the starting line, even after being red-carded. He finally left, and wept on a practice track as the heat was rerun.
On Monday, the International Association of Athletics Federations ruled Drummond’s “behavior was improper, unsporting and has brought the sport of athletics into disrepute.”
The IAAF gave USA Track & Field chief executive Craig Masback until 8 p.m. Tuesday to carry out an investigation, give Drummond a hearing and announce a sanction.
“There must be some disciplinary action,” IAAF general secretary Istvan Gyulai told The Associated Press. “This is unsportsmanlike and damaging behavior and should not happen again.”
USATF spokeswoman Jill Geer said the federation would study its bylaws to determine “the proper disciplinary procedure under an expedited circumstance.”
Before the IAAF announced its decision, Masback said not all the facts were known.
“I think more information will come out,” he told the AP. “It’s in everybody’s interests that the dust settles.”
Drummond was not available Monday for comment.
If the IAAF is not satisfied with the U.S. action, the world body can impose its own sanctions against Drummond, including suspending him from the rest of the championships, Gyulai said.
“If we believe what he did is so significant, we can immediately exclude him from any other event,” Gyulai said.
Drummond is scheduled to compete in the 400-meter relay this weekend.
The IAAF also found that USATF administrative officer Michael Cain, who went onto the track and advised Drummond not to accept the disqualification, was guilty of improper and unsporting behavior detrimental to the sport.
After talking with Cain, Drummond returned to the starting blocks in an unsuccessful attempt to get back into the race.