A marathon runner who finished third in the Women's T12 Marathon at the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games did not receive a bronze medal in spite of her accomplishment. Elena Congost, who is visually impaired, wants people to know that she was not disqualified for cheating — she was disqualified for helping her guide, Mia Carol Bruguera. The Spanish athlete, 36, briefly let go of the tether used to keep runners and their guides together. According to Paralympic rules, runners and guides must remain connected via tether throughout the competition.
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Elena's disqualification is controversial because she was helping her guide.
Technically, Elena broke the rules when she let go of the tether that connected her to her guide. The reason many people are confused and disgusted by her being disqualified is that she let go of it to help her guide, Mia.
They were close to the finish line when Mia reportedly had cramps and stumbled. Elena reached out to help him and stop him from falling. When doing so, she briefly let go of the tether.
She finished third but didn't qualify for a medal.
Elena and Mia were still able to cross the finish line in 3 hours 0.48 seconds, according to The Independent. Despite finishing third, Elena didn't get a bronze medal, which she called "unfair" and "surreal," per news.com.au. Although letting go of the tether is in violation of Paralympic rules, Elena said "it was just a reflex action that any human being would have done – holding on to someone who is falling," according to news.com.au.
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Elena believes she was disqualified for being human.
Speaking to Spanish news outlet [Marca], Elena opened up about how she felt after learning that she would not get a bronze medal. Because she let go of the tether to help someone who was falling, she feels as though she's being punished for being human.
“I would like everyone to know that I have not been disqualified for cheating, but rather I have been disqualified for being a person and for an instinct that comes to you when someone is falling and is to help or support them,” she told the news outlet.
She's both 'proud' and 'devastated.'
Reflecting on the loss of her bronze medal, Elena told Marca she is "devastated."
"I had the medal. I’m super proud of everything I’ve done and in the end they disqualify me because 10 meters from the finish line I let go of the rope for a second," she said.
People jumped to Elena's defense on social media after hearing the news.
"@Paralympics Shame on you. Elena Congost is the best example of Paralympic values: solidarity, humanity, overcoming," one person wrote on X. "And you reward her by taking away her achievement and dreams. Shame on you."
Another person on X wrote that Elena's disqualification should be "reevaluated" for two reasons: "She lets the rope go steps away from the finish line, to help her guide" and the "next runner was minutes away."
Others couldn't believe someone would be disqualified for helping their guide.
"Where is the Olympic spirit? Elena Congost was disqualified after running 42 km and helping her guide not to fall to the ground. She has lost the bronze medal and her sports scholarship," another person wrote on X. "Disgusting!"
