Athlete who broke her own record stripped of gold medal after breaking equipment rule at Paralympics
Topics: Sport, Paralympics, News
Lucy Devine
Featured Image Credit: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
Topics: Sport, Paralympics, News
An athlete who managed to break her own record has been disqualified after winning a gold medal at the 2024 Paralympics.
Polish athlete Roza Kozakowska was stripped of her medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris last week.
The devastating moment came after the thrower managed to break her own world record and even claimed gold in the event.
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Kozakowska, 35, managed to reach a throw of 31.30 metres, which she actually achieved in her first throw of the event.
Her previous record was 28.77 metres, which means she absolutely smashed her personal best.
But sadly, the celebrations didn't last long after team Brazil lodged a complaint about her equipment.
They took issue with the pillow that Kozakowska was using to support her head during the event, protesting that it was the 'wrong size'.
In a statement released over the weekend, representatives from The Polish Paralympic Committee said: "On Friday before midnight, a protest was filed by one of the teams, questioning the size of the pillow under our representative's head.
"The protest was upheld, and as a result, Róża was disqualified. The Polish team immediately appealed this decision.
"The appeal committee meeting took place this morning, unfortunately its decision was unfavourable for us.
"We take this ruling into account, such are the laws of sport and its rigorous procedures, we have to reckon with them.
"After the games, when understandable emotions have subsided, a transparent, thorough procedure will be initiated, which will aim to clarify the situation.
"We keep our fingers crossed for all our Paralympians and wish them success."
Kozakowska's disqualification in the F32 final meant that Maroua Ibrahmi, of Tunisia, instead took home gold.
She achieved a throw of 29.00 metres in the event.
Meanwhile, Iran's Parastoo Habibi won silver while Brazil's Giovanna Boscolo Castilho Goncalves took home bronze.
Kozakowska isn't the only athlete to have suffered from disqualification in this year's games.
Over the weekend, 25-year-old Jaryd Clifford came away from the Men’s T13 5,000m final with a bronze medal.
However, just seconds after seemingly contesting third place, the visually impaired athlete was disqualified from the event and thus lost his podium position.
Video footage from the event shows that when Jaryd crossed the finish line with his guide Matthew Clarke, the pair were not correctly tethered.
Officials from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) subsequently ruled the athlete was in breach of the staunch rule and thus disqualified him from the race.
The sportsman lost his bronze medal to Russia’s Anton Kuliatin and later took to social media to share his thoughts on the decision.
He wrote on X: "I’m absolutely gutted that we made such a critical mistake today.
"Remaining tethered is a fundamental rule of guiding & I’m shattered that I lost my mind in those finals metres.
"I’ve got so much more to give, I promise to bring everything for the 1500m on Tuesday."