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Martyn Rooney unhappy with relay disqualification decision

Rooney unhappy with disqualification decision
© BBC
Martyn Rooney insists that teammate Matthew Hudson-Smith was "very badly treated" in the men's 4x400m relay when deemed to have illegally put his foot over the line.

Martyn Rooney has further questioned the decision to disqualify Great Britain's men's 4x400m relay team, claiming that he is "even angrier" after seeing the footage.

Britain's four-man team of Nigel Levine, Delano Williams, Matthew Hudson-Smith and Rooney were denied the chance of competing in the final due to a supposed infringement in their semi-final heat.

It was felt by the official in charge that a part of Hudson-Smith's foot was out of the takeover zone when he began running the third leg of the heat.

Inconclusive evidence saw Team GB's appeal rejected, but Rooney stands by his initial claim that the decision at Rio's Olympic Stadium was wrong.

"It's a track judge's opinion," he told BBC Sport. "Unfortunately, there wasn't a Hawk-Eye on the line. In other sports, like tennis and football, they have Hawk-Eye.

"We've basically got a track judge who has decided that that's what he has seen and there's no conclusive evidence to prove it either way. I've just seen it now and I'm even angrier. Matt has been very badly treated."

There was better luck for Britain's women's 4x400m relay team, as they took bronze in the early hours of Sunday morning.

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Daniel Lewis
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Martyn Rooney, Michael Bingham, Conrad Williams and Matthew Hudson-Smith celebrate after winning the Men's 4x400m final during the European Athletics Championships at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich on August 17, 2014
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