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VALENCIA, Spain (08-Mar) -- After thoroughly reviewing the race video, officials at the 12th IAAF World Indoor Championships reinstated 18 year-old Deresse Mekonnen of Ethiopia as the winner of the rough and tumble men's 1500m final, giving that African nation a second gold medal today after Meseret Defar's earlier win in the women's 3000m.
Mekonnen, who had crossed the finish line first with an apparent victory, was disqualified immediately after the race under IAAF rule 163.3, which covers all manner of lane violations. He was cited for stepping into the infield after contact with another athlete. The Ethiopian delegation immediately lodged an official protest, as did the New Zealand delegation because Nick Willis was also disqualified.
Addressing the media assembled in the press center at about 10:20 this evening, the IAAF's Anna Legnani explained that the judges decided that Mekonnen was only momentarily forced off of the track by another competitor, but that he did not obtain a material advantage for the one step in the infield. Legnani did not say who the other competitor was (journalists were not shown the reply), but Mekonnen's manager, Gianni Demadonna, identified him as Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain who finished fifth.
The New Zealand protest was rejected, however, and Willis remained disqualified. He was boxed in on turn 3 of the last lap, and visibly stumbled. Legnani said he took multiple steps off of the track.
Mekonnen was officially timed in 3:38.23, leaving Kenya's Daniel Kipchirchir Komen with silver medal in 3:38.54. Spain's Juan Carlos Higuero, who passed his compatriot Arturo Casado in the final 10 meters of the race, got the bronze.
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