French athlete Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad has gained track and field infamy for all the wrong reasons, in the lead-up to the London Olympics.
The 27-year-old had just won gold in the European Championship's 3000 metre steeplechase in Helsinki on Sunday when audience cheers quickly subsided into shock over his subsequent actions.
Rather than appearing happy about his 8.33.23-minute victory, the Algerian-born athlete walked over to the championship's mascot “Appy”, which was being worn by a 14-year-old girl, and smacked a gift bag out of her hands and shoved her with both hands.
The girl was believed to have been slightly winded by the unexpected attack but otherwise unharmed. Yet championship organisers were livid, according to Karjalainen news.
Championship director Mika Muukka told the news agency that “hopefully, the EAA (European Athletics Association) would deal with the case”.
It was not the first time that Mekhissi-Benabbad had picked on a mascot. After winning the same race at the 2010 championships in Barcelona, he asked a mascot to kneel in front of him before he pushed it to the ground, according to Le 10 Sport.
In 2011, he was also suspended for 10 months after getting into a fight with fellow French runner, Mehdi Baala, at the finish line of the 1500m race during the Monaco Diamond League games.
He's Benabbad bad boy.
He's Benabbad bad boy.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: He's Benabbad bad boy.
KICK THE BUGGER IN THE SLATS AND BAN HIM FOR LIFE.
Your collective inability to acknowledge this obvious truth makes you all look like fools.
yrs,
rubato
Re: He's Benabbad bad boy.
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
~ Carl Sagan
~ Carl Sagan
Re: He's Benabbad bad boy.
Why would he do that?!?! Wanker, indeed. He should be banned for outrageously unsportsmanlike behavior.
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
~ Carl Sagan
~ Carl Sagan
Re: He's Benabbad bad boy.
This is beyond bad behavior. The guy must be seriously deranged.
Unfortunately, he can't be medicated or it will cause him to be disqualified from competition.
Still: What an asshole!
Unfortunately, he can't be medicated or it will cause him to be disqualified from competition.
Still: What an asshole!