16-year-old track and field athlete stripped of gold medal for controversial actions

(Dan Tri) - 16-year-old athlete Clara Adams was stripped of her gold medal at the California state high school track and field tournament for celebrating with a fire extinguisher.

Clara's controversial actions after winning the gold medal

At the California State High School Track and Field Championships held earlier this month, Clara Adams won gold in the 400m, but was stripped of her title after celebrating with a fire extinguisher (spraying it on her shoe).

After coming in first, Clara Adams ran to her father and received a fire extinguisher (Screenshot).

This was a celebration similar to that of track legend Maurice Greene at the 2004 Home Depot Invitational. However, the California High School Federation (CIF) did not agree with this expression and quickly decided to strip the North Salinas student of her state championship title.

Not accepting the above decision, Clara and her father (who is also her coach) are considering suing CIF if she is not reinstated.

“The CIF regulations are confusing and outdated,” said Clara’s family lawyer, Adante Pointer. “We still hope they will do the right thing without taking the matter to court, especially when they have not followed their own regulations. This body has caused irreparable damage to a promising young athlete, depriving her of a moment of glory without just cause.”

“Not only will they take away Clara’s state championship title, but she could also lose scholarships, sponsorship deals, and other opportunities in the future,” Pointer added. “Not to mention the emotional trauma of being yelled at and treated harshly by referees. Those things can never be taken back.”

Clara’s father, David Adams, also criticized the way the organizers handled the match. He admitted that he jumped the fence to run onto the field after seeing Clara in trouble. He was the one who gave his daughter a fire extinguisher before the celebration. However, what made him angry was when a referee “grabbed my daughter by the arm and yelled at her.”

Because of the celebration, Clara not only lost her gold medal but was also banned from competing in the 200m event that followed. She expressed her disappointment: “I think the organizers overreacted. They grabbed my arms and shouted at me like I was not a child.”

“I still don’t understand why they treated her like that. They punished her like an adult, without giving any warning or explanation,” Mr. David added.

Track and field legend Maurice Greene has spoken out in support of Clara (Photo: Getty).

Clara’s idea to celebrate with the fire extinguisher only came to her just before the race when the father and daughter happened to watch old videos of Maurice Greene. Clara insisted she was “the underdog” before the race and the celebration was done in a separate area, not affecting the other athletes.

Notably, the legendary Maurice Greene also spoke up to defend Clara. In an interview with KSBW-TV, he said: “When I heard about it, people called me to say that there was a girl who celebrated in the 400m like I did. I think if she celebrated in a private area, without affecting anyone, the organizers should restore her title.”

In the US athletics community, many people have fiercely debated the CIF's punishment. Many believe that the CIF was too harsh on a girl with a bright future ahead of her. Some people hope that Clara's family will take legal action to help her get justice.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/vdv-dien-kinh-16-tuoi-bi-tuoc-huy-chuong-vang-vi-hanh-dong-tranh-cai-20250618095922279.htm