Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad is truly a nightmare to any competitor due to his speed and an equal menace to himself due to his lack of control. Mekhissi-Benabbad has faced continuing controversies over thuggish or plain stupid acts in competition. The most recent, as shown in the video below, was to strip off his shirt while handily winning the European 3000m steeplechase. It would have been his third consecutive gold medal but the judges stripped him of his win for acting, again, like an adolescent. I remain a bit old-fashioned on athletes acting out in such cases. Indeed, I am one of the few people who seem to continue to support the ban on excessive celebration in the NFL and the rule against trash talking.
You may be recall Mekhissi-Benabbad from when he pushed over a little girl in a large costume during an earlier race (and, in another competition, shoving another costumed character) and, even after finding out that it was a little girl, not apologizing for acting like a thug.
Then there was his getting into a fist fight with fellow French runner Mehdi Baala after a 1500m race in Monaco.
In the latest juvenile display, Mekhissi-Benabbad stripped off his shirt to begin celebrating before he won the race.
Mekhissi-Benabbad is clearly an amazing athlete. It is simply a shame that he cannot be half as good in controlling himself as he is in dominating competitions.
Source: Yahoo
Good grief….
Now we are equalted taking your shirt off to fighting. Geez give us a break. Most people would not find a little celebration in a competitive world not striking nor out of the norm.
Are you anti – fun JT? He’s a badass and he crushed everyone in that race. Let the man celebrate. I take it you aren’t a fan of soccer. The goal celebrations are pretty extravagant I hear.
I know it is off topic but: Hands Up! Don’t Shoot. We wanna Loot!
— The Ferguson Black Caucus.