IRONMAN allows Sam Laidlow to compete in Kona despite being disqualified in Vitoria
This weekend, the HOMBRE DE HIERRO Vitoria, where the Spanish Antonio Benito achieved the victory and the slot for Kona.
But in the test Sam Laidlow, current world champion of the specialty, finished in second position, although he was disqualified for failing to stop in a penalty,
The Frenchman led the race from the swim until kilometer 38 of the run, where he was surpassed by Antonio Benito.
However, he received a card for drafting and did not stop to comply, so he was disqualified.
Despite being notified of his disqualification, he was allowed to complete the race so he could appeal upon finishing
In IRONMAN, unlike the ITU, the penalty must be taken in the first penalty box found, while in the ITU it can be taken in any lap.
laidlow, upon reaching the finish line, appealed the disqualification, but it was rejected by the judges' committee.
Despite this, an IRONMAN committee has decided that the Frenchman has complicated the current regulations to obtain the slot, by demonstrating that he has completed an IRONMAN under his own power, allowing him to compete in Kona without having to run in another IRONMAN event.
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IRONMAN regulations require that world champions complete at least one IRONMAN circuit test (or two 70.3s) to validate their slot in the world championship.
According to IRONMAN, Laidlow raced competitively to the finish and was the second professional man to cross the finish line.
Although officials confirmed the disqualification, which prevented him from receiving points or prize money from the IRONMAN Pro Series, finishing the test complies with the validation policy of the 2024 IRONMAN World Championship.
IRONMAN highlighted that laidlow followed the appeal process in a professional manner, always showing respect for his colleagues. The fact that he decided to finish the race aligns with the validation requirements and the spirit of the IRONMAN policy.
For his part, Sam has published in instagram expressing that race day was mentally and physically hard for him.
He commented that this was his first experience receiving a penalty and that poor communication led him to not honor it during the race.
Laidlow thanked IRONMAN for listening to his side of the story and considering the data provided by Race Ranger to validate his participation in the IRONMAN World Championship.
Social networks have been a hotbed of diverse opinions. Some welcome the validation of laidlow, arguing that he completed the test with sportsmanship and that IRONMAN's decision is fair.
On the other hand, many believe that a disqualified athlete should not receive validation, especially in a year where drafting has been a significant problem among professionals.
