Team GB’s George Mills confronted French athlete Hugo Hay after the pair collided on the final straight of a men’s 5000m heat.
As the runners entered the final stage of the race, Mills and Hay collided, with the Great British runner being brought down.
As a result – three other runners fell in the melee. It left Mills in 18th place with a time of 14:37.08.
After crossing the finish line around 30 seconds after the leader – Mills confronted Hay, with the pair exchanging harsh words.
Narve Gilje Nordas of Norway won the heat, while Hays placed seventh.
It likely ends Mills’s hopes of automatically qualifying for the final, as he did not finish in the top eight.
Speaking to the BBC after the race, Mills said, “I think it’s pretty clear” what happened, adding: “I got stepped out on.”
“I was about to kick into the straight and boom: The French lad took me down,” he claimed.
Mills, 25, is the son of former Leeds and England full-back Danny.
Former Olympic silver medallist Steve Cram, commentating on the race for the BBC, said Mills had got himself into a “bad position”.
“George was in a bad position from a long way out, he should have checked out much earlier,” Cram said.
“George, from what I can see there, did do a big push there in the home straight and it will be really interesting to see what they [race officials] decide.”
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Source Agencies
