Controversial ruling that sees British swimmer disqualified despite winning heat

Team GB swimming prima Luke Greenbank's Olympic 200m backstroke dream is complete aft he was disqualified pursuing triumph successful his power successful Paris.

Greenbank looked to person sealed a spot successful nan semi-finals of nan arena astatine La Defense Arena but was near distraught aft being caught retired by a little-known rule.

The double Olympic medallist clocked a clip of 1min 56sec, qualifying more than a 2nd up of favourite Hubert Kos of Hungary.

But joyousness quickly turned to despair for nan 26-year-old arsenic footage showed Greenbank had swam excessively acold underwater astatine nan commencement of nan race.

According to a World Aquatics rule, which has been successful spot since 1988, athletes are not allowed to spell beyond nan 15-metre people while still underwater. By that constituent nan caput must person surgery nan surface.

Greenbank looked up astatine nan TV screens wrong nan arena and soon realised he would beryllium axed from nan event. The British athlete, bronze medallist successful nan arena successful Tokyo 3 years ago, past slumped to nan level successful despair.

'I don't cognize what to say, perfectly gutted,' he said aft nan race. 'It's really annoying, I consciousness for illustration I'm connected bully form.'

The afloat norm states: 'Some portion of nan swimmer must break nan aboveground of nan h2o passim nan race.

'It is permissible for nan swimmer to beryllium wholly sub-merged during nan turn, astatine nan decorativeness and for a region of not much than 15 metres aft nan commencement and each turn.

'By that constituent nan caput must person surgery nan surface.'

His team-mate Ollie Morgan had nary specified problem arsenic he progressed into nan semi-finals. 

Greenbank besides took metallic successful nan 4x100m medley astatine Tokyo 2020 and is simply a erstwhile world champion successful nan event.

The incident was a blip connected an different stunning time for Team GB, who won golden successful the women's quad sculls and men's triathlon successful speedy succession connected Wednesday.

Britain claimed their first golden successful nan excavation successful nan French superior connected Tuesday nighttime arsenic nan squad of James Guy, Tom Dean, Matt Richards and Duncan Scott successfully defended their Olympic 4x200m freestyle relay title.