Mexican outrage over 'Olympic robbery'

Segura celebrates with team-mate Noe Hernandez

By Peter Greste in Mexico City

The disqualification of a Mexican who won a gold medal in the Olympic 20km walk has caused widespread anger in his homeland.

On Friday, the case of Bernardo Segura was featured prominently in Mexico's main daily newspapers, with one describing it "An Olympic robbery".

Judges ruled that Segura had lost contact with the ground more than three times

Segura had spent 15 minutes celebrating and was being congratulated on the phone by President Ernesto Zedillo, when judges told him he had been disqualified for technical reasons.

Judges had ruled that Segura had broken the event's strict regulations by losing contact with the ground more than three times.

The country went into raptures moments after Segura crossed the line first in the 20km walk, ahead of Robert Korzeniowski of Poland and another Mexican, Noe Hernandez.

Red card

The result appeared to hand the country its second gold of the Games and minutes later even the President Zedillo, was on the phone.

"Your race is an example for the youth of Mexico," the president said.

"It is proof that discipline, dedication and the love of sport can give results."

But as the nation watched Segura take the call by the side of the track live on national television an Olympic official showed him a red card indicating that he had been disqualified.

Robert Korzeniowski of Poland took the gold after the disqualification

The country's elation turned to indignation.

"They've got it in for Mexicans," wrote one former medallist - an opinion shared by people across the country.

"It's a conspiracy to keep our athletes from getting gold," one angry construction worker told the BBC.

And another insisted that if it had been a German or an American who had crossed the line first, they would never have been disqualified.

The outrage has been so vehement that the Australian embassy in Mexico City even felt compelled to issue a statement denying any official conspiracy by the Canberra Government.

But that is not likely to change the views of people in Mexico.

"It's obvious that they will do anything to stop us winning," said a Mexico City shopper. "Why did they have to crush our joy like that?"