Winning at the highest levels of competition in sports takes months and years of hard work and sacrifice. Showing emotion and spontaneity when celebrating a major win or even lamenting a loss is part of the game. As long as nobody is being smacked in the head with a baton out of frustration, celebrations, especially creative ones between families should be allowed.
A California high school track star’s post-race celebration with her dad, which was a show of respect for an inspirational Olympic gold medalist, resulted in her disqualification. She was also stripped of her state championship title by supposedly outraged officials.
Why Was North Salinas HS Runner Clara Adams Stripped Of 400M State Title?
North Salinas High School sophomore Clara Adams blazed to the finish line, obliterating her competitors as the winner in the 400 meters at Buchanan High in Clovis on Saturday. Then she ran to her father to celebrate, as reported by the Mercury News. Her father, David, handed his daughter a fire extinguisher. She was not in the vicinity of any competitors, but she sprayed the extinguisher on her shoes, as if they were on fire.
California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) officials weren’t with the celebration and instead of congratulating Adams on a well-earned victory and highlighting her positive attributes as a person, they viewed Adams’ actions as unsportsmanlike and disqualified her.
The track star says she was initially in shock.
“I don’t know what’s going through my mind right now,” Adams told the Mercury News. “I’m disappointed and I feel robbed. I am in shock. They (officials) yelled at me and told me, ‘We’re not letting you on the podium.’ They took my moment away from me.”
Clara Adams Was Also Suspended From Competing In 200M
Adding insult to a horrible decision by overzealous adults (a common theme in today’s youth sports landscape) that decision was delivered just minutes before Adams was about to run the 200 meters. However, her disqualification for her supposed unsportsmanlike act, forbade Adams from participating in that race in which she was one of the favorites to win.
Her father is not just some spectator who doesn’t understand the rules. He is also her sprinting coach, and he insists that his daughter didn’t violate any rules when she celebrated. He also added that she was nowhere near any of the other competitors and did not create a safety risk.
“When she blew the fire extinguisher, the opponents were gone,” David told new outlet KSBW.“That was our moment of celebration, and CIF officials made it about them. The crowd went crazy, they loved it, the CIF booth went crazy, they loved it. But those few guys in those jackets took offense to it, didn’t like it, and made a decision based off emotions.”
US Olympic Gold Medalist Maurice Greene Was Inspiration For Fire Extinguisher Prop
Adams’ disqualification caused a stir throughout the track & field community and made its way to the attention of Greene, the sprinting legend, who said:
“When I heard, cause it happened, and then people just started calling me ‘This girl who just ran the 400 did your celebration’ I was like huh? What?” Greene, who won two gold medals at the 2000 Sidney Olympics in Australia (100m and 4 × 100m relay) told reporters. “If it was away from everyone and not interfering with anyone, I would say reinstate her,” the Olympian said.
What should have been one of the greatest moments in Ciara Adams’ young career, turned sour fast. She did her job, producing the fastest time in the 400m dash on Saturday (53.24), but left with no accolades for her accomplishments.
The talented runner also finished in first place in the 400m dash at the Central Coast Section Championships, as well as finishing first in three races at the Pacific Coast Athletic League Masters Meet in May.
What CIF Code Of Conduct Rule Did Clara Adams Break To Get Suspended?
According to CIF’s code of conduct, it is stated under the Respect section, that taunting and boastful celebrations are not allowed.
“Taunting — don’t engage in or allow trash-talking, taunting, boastful celebrations, or other actions that demean individuals or the sport,” states Rule 7.
So technically, they could consider the Maurice Greene homage as a violation of the rules.
But according to local news outlet KSBW, a runner hasn’t been disqualified or stripped of its state title for unsportsmanlike conduct at least in the past 20 years. So, this entire situation is kind of odd. Hopefully there is an appeal process for Adams, because she could have been disciplined and suspended from winning a second race if the CIF wanted to show some leniency, as Greene suggested, but instead they chose to make this particular girl an example.