The Algerian 1500m medal contender Taoufik Makhloufi has been thrown out of the London Olympics for not trying in his 800m heat, the International Association of Athletics Federations have said.

 

Makhloufi, who won his 1500m semi-final in 3min 42.24sec, had been forced to run in the two-lap race after his team failed to withdraw him from it by Sunday's deadline, an IAAF spokeswoman said.

 

The 24-year-old lined up at the start of heat five at the Olympic stadium on Monday morning but was already well behind the field at the start of the back straight before stopping running completely another 100m into the race and wandering back across the infield past the pole vault³ area.

 

"The referee⁴ considered that he had not provided a bona fide effort and decided⁵ to exclude（排除） him from participation⁶ in all further events in the competition," read an IAAF statement.

 

Makhloufi stormed past the Olympic and world champion Asbel Kiprop in a stunning⁷ finish to his 1500m heat on Sunday, marking him out as a title contender.

 

The IAAF spokeswoman said he could be reinstated for Tuesday's 1500m final if he could get a medical certificate from a local doctor.

 

The exclusion⁸ is the latest in a string of incidents at the Games where athletes have not tried to win in order to manipulate results or draws in their ultimate favor. Four pairs of women's doubles players, including the top seeds, were thrown out of the Olympics for trying to deliberately⁹ lose group stage matches to engineer easier quarter-final draws.

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