Rio Olympics 2016: Sprinter Martyn Rooney ‘even angrier’ after watching replay of Team GB’s controversial disqualification from relay semi-final

SPRINTER Martyn Rooney has blasted Rio officials and claimed he is “even angrier” after watching replays of Team GB’s controversial disqualification from the 4x400m relay.

Britain’s quartet of Rooney, Nigel Levine, Delano Williams and Matthew Hudson-Smith were harshly booted out of the competition after Hudson-Smith was alleged to have part of his foot out of the takeover zone.

GB went onto win the race with a time of two minutes 58.88 seconds and thought they had qualified for the final before the officials decided to disqualify the team.

Suspiciously, GB's disqualification meant Brazil were selected for the final instead.

Team GB did appeal the decision but it was upheld because the video evidence was inconclusive.

And Rooney was angered over the decision, bemoaning the lack of technology at a major Olympic event.

He said: "It's a track judge's opinion.

"Unfortunately, there wasn't a Hawk-Eye on the line. In other sports, like tennis and football, they have Hawk-Eye.

"We've basically got a track judge who has decided that that's what he has seen and there's no conclusive evidence to prove it either way.

"I've just seen it now and I'm even angrier."

Just last month GB were leading down the home straight in the same event at the World Championships before Hudson-Smith stumbled as the team had to settle for bronze.

But it was good news for the women's 4x400m relay team who won bronze in Rio finishing behind Jamaica and USA.