Christie reinstated in sixth position after ‘harsh’ disqualification

MARK CHRISTIE who was the victim of a harsh disqualification in the final of the 5,000m at the European under-23 championships in Debrecen on Thursday night was reinstated in the early hours of yesterday morning and the records now show that the Mullingar man finished sixth in 13 mins 58.83 secs.

Battered and bruised after a dust-up over the final two and a half laps, he was in Medical Control when the team manager, Brother John Dooley, was informed that he had been disqualified for barging.

“The fact that Mark was in Medical Control meant that I had no contact with him and could not put forward his side of the story when I sent in to lodge the appeal against his disqualification,” Brother Dooley pointed out.