Former Olympic gold medal winner involved in bizarre 'mix-up' that denied her entry to arena before pulling out of race
Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was bizarrely denied access into the Stade De France that prevented her from competing at the Olympics.
Fraser-Pryce, 37, was due to take part in the semi-final of the women's 100m yesterday when her preparations for the event took a strange turn.
A three-time Olympic gold medalist, the sprinter came through her heat on Friday in second place, with a time of 10.92 seconds.
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Having then arrived at the stadium ahead of her 100m semi-final, footage emerged of Fraser-Pryce being denied entry as security informed her of a 'last-minute rule change'.
Athletes who chose not to stay at the Olympic Village and therefore do not come in on the team bus were reportedly told to enter a different way, with the experienced sprinter informed of the news.
"She [a security member] said they changed the rule yesterday," the 37-year-old stated in the video circulating online.
"How can you change the rule and then not say? So you’re asking all athletes who, for whatever reason don’t stay at the village, they can’t come through the gate.
"We came through this gate yesterday and went through security and it was okay. They want us to go all the way up to where everybody is exiting… that’s crazy!"
Furthermore, news also began to circulate that the Jamaican star had been dealing with an ongoing knee injury.
When Fraser-Pryce was eventually allowed into the Stade De France, Chef de Mission Ian Kelly later confirmed to Reuters that her withdrawal was because of an ongoing niggle.
Jamaica's team manager, Ludlow Watts, also helped provide clarity on the matter.
Watts explained: "When we got the news she was warming up and so it came as a surprise to me.
"We only got the information that she is injured, but doctor Warren Blake is addressing the matter and we will speak further on the matter.
"This was a surprise and disappointment because the whole world would love to see Shelly in the Olympics.
"Apart from being a Jamaican, I am sure that people who love track and field would be very disappointed globally."
Matthew Holt