Aurelie Muller: How A Walk In The Favelas Brought Perspective After Sting Of Injustice

Aurelie Muller, the French open water World champion who with Britain’s Jack Burnell was one of two who finished top three in the Rio 2016 Olympic marathon but find themselves denied by dubious judgements that spoke to the incompetence of FINA when it comes to ensuring the best competitive environment for athletes, has penned a lament on her Facebook page.

In words reproduced by “Les Sportives“ Magazine, Muller describes how the Olympic “flame was extinguished that night” after she finished second to training partner Sharon van Rouwendaal (NED) in the Rio marathon only to find herself disqualified in the final few strokes of a 10km race, in the mix the incompetence of those who placed vast white buoys inside the finishing shoot that tells swimmers where to swim on their way to the end wall and timing pad.

Effectively, the red markers steered Muller into a cul-de-sac from which her only escape was collision with Italy’s Rachele Bruni. The French swimmer’s disqualification gave the hosts Brazil what it had so much wanted: a first Olympic swimming medal for a woman in history, to Poliana Olimoto.

Muller now writes: “I could not enjoy the last days of celebration [at the Games].

“I fought to the end to try to regain my honour, which was flouted because, more seriously than disqualification and loss of the medal, was just how hard it is to accept that I am considered a cheat or someone who did not uphold fair play at these Olympics.”

The decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport acknowledges that there are problems related to the decision of the disqualification. They admit that my situation deserved consideration by the Olympic …

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