Summer Olympics 2000 Doktor kicked out of 500-meter canoe event

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Wednesday, September 27
Doktor kicked out of 500-meter canoe event
Associated Press

PENRITH, Australia -- Martin Doktor of the Czech Republic, the reigning Olympic champion in the 500- and 1,000-meter men's canoe events, was disqualified from the 500 Wednesday for drifting too close to the leader in a first-round heat.

Germany's Andreas Dittmer beat Doktor, then filed a protest accusing Doktor of getting within five meters of him. The competition committee agreed. Doktor also protested but was denied.

Doktor then appealed to a five-member jury from the International Canoe Federation. The panel tried hearing the case, but delayed it until Thursday when one of the judges couldn't be reached.

The five-meter rule is aimed at preventing boats from riding in another's wake, which is easier.

Lanes are 9 meters wide. Dittmer would have had to be in the far right half of his lane and Doktor in the far left of his lane for there to be a violation.

"It's the duty of the following boat to keep clear," said competition manager Grant Halford, who also is on the competition committee.

Neither of the two officials watching the race from the water waved a red flag indicating a possible violation. Doktor happened to be in lane 5, which is the only lane both judges are supposed to watch.

Halford said two of the three committee members were watching the race from a tower. He declined to say whether any of them reported the infraction when it occurred.

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