Tokyo marathon: Morhad Amdouni rival demands 'sanctions' for knocking over bottles in shock Olympics moment

Published 12/08/2021 at 11:01 GMT

"One bottle falling over - that can happen. They are not that easy to grab. But this was simply too much. It's pretty obvious that this was intentional to weaken his competitors, so they can't grab a bottle," said German marathon runner Hendrik Pfeiffer after the shocking footage went viral. Amdouni pleaded his innocence in the aftermath, saying the bottles were slippery.

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The criticism continues to flood in for French long-distance runner Morhad Amdouni after he knocked over a row of bottles during the men's marathon at Tokyo 2020, with German rival Hendrik Pfeiffer saying it was a "disastrous image”.

Footage showed Amdouni sending dozens of water bottles cascading to the floor with his outstretched palm at a rehydration station, before conveniently managing to pick up the last one.

Amdouni, who finished six minutes down on eventual winner Eliud Kipchoge in 17th, had pleaded his innocence in the aftermath.

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“To guarantee freshness to the bottles, they are soaked in water, which makes them slippery,” he said.

“However, it is clear that I am trying to get one from the beginning of the row but they slip as soon as we touch them.”

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However, his comments have largely fallen on deaf ears, with Pfeiffer the latest to claim his actions were deliberate and against the Olympic spirit.

"This was unsportsmanlike behaviour and intentional," Pfeiffer told RTL.

"I can't understand why there aren't any sanctions against him. This was against the Olympic values. It gave a disastrous image.

"One bottle falling over - that can happen. They are not that easy to grab. But this was simply too much. It's pretty obvious that this was intentional to weaken his competitors, so they can't grab a bottle."

Sapporo hit temperatures of 27°C during Sunday’s marathon as 30 runners dropped out.

Kipchoge defended his title from Rio with an imperious display, pulling clear with 10km to go to finish a full 80 seconds ahead of the Netherlands’ Abdi Nageeye.

The 36-year-old Kenyan, who clocked 2:08:38, is just the third man in history to win consecutive Olympic marathon titles.