Aussie cycling legend Kate Bates has declared that Felicity Wilson-Haffenden was ‘robbed’ of a chance to ride for a medal after she was controversially disqualified on Friday night at the Commonwealth Games. Wilson-Haffenden qualified fourth-fastest in the 4000m individual pursuit, which put her into the bronze medal race.
But she was sensationally disqualified and kicked out of the race for wearing ‘excess’ shoulder taping under her uniform. Teammate Sophie Edwards was also disqualified for padding in her helmet, but was well outside medal contention.
Kate Bates (R) was fuming after Felicity Wilson-Haffenden (second from left) was disqualified. Image: Getty/Channel 7
Cycling rules state: “Clothing and other items or accessories worn by a rider may not modify the morphology of the rider.” The shoulder tape that Wilson-Haffenden wore under her race uniform was actually applied by an official from the sport’s governing body the UCI (International Cycling Union).
AusCycling performance manager Jesse Korf told reporters they were bitterly disappointed by the decision. “The UCI concluded the taping of the shoulder constituted, according to them in the rule book, a morphological change,” Korf said.
“But they weren’t able to articulate what that exactly was, because it’s a grey area – you cannot measure what a morphological change is. We looked into it and being that it’s not measurable and subjective, unfortunately that conclusion is final, which we’re most certainly not happy with and Felicity is upset, of course.”
Felicity Wilson-Haffenden was disqualified from the bronze medal race. Image: Getty
Bates was fuming on Channel 7, saying: “I am livid. I’m heartbroken for Sophie and for Felicity. Felicity in particular racing for a medal in her first Commonwealth Games.
“I think she’s been robbed. I don’t know who’s let her down. Was it Team Australia, was it the commissaires? It is unacceptable for her to be disqualified. I just can’t get my head around it to be honest. She had shoulder taping because she’s got medical taping that necessitates it.
“How inhumane to consider she might need to race without it? It’s a known medical condition, she’s really brave I think.”
Aussies win four more gold medals at Comm Games
The disqualification raised eyebrows from New Zealand journalists considering Wilson-Haffenden and Edwards were part of the Aussie team that beat the Kiwis to win gold in the women’s team pursuit just 24 hours earlier. However there’s no suggestion of wrongdoing on the Aussies’ behalf from that race.
In better news, Australia won three more gold medals in the velodrome on Friday night. Georgia Baker won the women’s scratch race – her fifth career Games gold – while Oli Bleddyn led an Australian sweep in the individual pursuit and Blake Agnoletto won the elimination race. Isaac Beacroft won the 10,000m race walk for Australia’s fourth gold of the day and 55th overall.
