Tearful Isaac Makwala ‘broken after being robbed of two medals’ at London 2017

Exclusive: 400m contender in norovirus row forced to watch final on hotel TV
Tearful: Isaac Makwala in his hotel room, where he watched his rival Wayde van Niekerk win
David Churchill9 August 2017

Athlete Isaac Makwala has said he is “broken” after being forced to watch the 400m World Athletics Championships final he was due to race in from his hotel bedroom.

Speaking to the Standard before he watched South African rival Wayde van Niekerk storm to victory on TV last night, a tearful Makwala insisted he should have been allowed to run.

He was barred from entering the Olympic Stadium over fears he had the norovirus stomach bug and could infect other athletes, with video footage showing him being prevented from entering the warm-up track. Makwala said he was stopped by security before being bundled into a car and taken back to his hotel.

He was also barred from the 200m heats on Monday night following a norovirus outbreak at his London hotel. Makwala, 31, considered to have had a realistic chance of beating van Niekerk in both the 200m and 400m, spoke exclusively about the furore to the Standard at his room in the Tower Hotel.

He said he felt robbed because he is “on top of my game” and claimed race chiefs have “no evidence” he had a virus because medical examinations did not involve blood testing. He admitted vomiting after getting off a coach at the stadium on Monday before the 200m heats, but claimed it was not proof he was contaminated. He added: “It’s just so frustrating, my mind is broken. I’m so hurt, I don’t know what to do. This was my time... they have denied me two medals.”

The vomiting bug is said to have affected dozens of athletes and support staff from several national teams taking part in the championships. Public Health England, which is advising governing body the IAAF, today confirmed it is treating the incident as a “norovirus outbreak” after two samples tested positive.

In Pictures | World Athletics Championships 2017

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Lord Coe, president of the IAAF, said today he felt “enormous sympathy” for Makwala, but that the decision was necessary to prevent further outbreaks and the risk of having “lots of empty lanes”.

It comes after former 400m world and Olympic champion and world record holder Michael Johnson told the BBC: “There is the elephant in the room — Wayde van Niekerk’s only challenger has been pulled out of both the 200m and 400m. The conspiracy theories will come out of the silence.”

The IAAF said it would have wanted “an exciting double header to go ahead” but medical advice was for 48 hours quarantine.

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