PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Erik Erlandsson had to wait a full two hours for his place in the EC final.
Now Kajsa Bergqvist vents her clear anger after the blunder.
– I don’t know when I was so angry last time, she tells Aftonbladet.
First came the jubilation, then the anger and finally the relief. There was great confusion when Erik Erlandsson surprised everyone in the 200 meters during the European Athletics Championships.
The giant chaos in the EC
The Swede ran the semi-final in a personal best 20.52 seconds, which was exactly the same time as the Czech Tomas Nemejc. First came the news that both had advanced to the 200 meter final, but then Erlandsson was suddenly eliminated.
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Then Sweden submitted a protest and was quickly told that it had gone through. But after that a new message came that the target photo was still being reviewed and it took a whole two hours before a new message came.
– Are you driving!? You can’t do this, exclaimed a furious Kajsa Bergqvist, Sweden’s national team captain, storming out of the jury room.
Bergqvist’s anger
Several times the decision was changed but in the end the final announcement finally came, just before midnight, that both Erlandsson and Nemejc were ready for the final. But the entire protracted process is now being seen by the Swedish national team.
– It is completely insane that you expose an active person to this. First get a place in the final, then take it away from the active one and then give it back and say it’s 100 percent done – and then take it away one more time, says Bergqvist to Aftonbladet.
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The Swedish anger is also based on the chaos that arose around Henrik Larsson’s missed out on a medal in the 100m final, so Sweden also lodged a protest which was rejected. But the case of Erlandsson stands out even more in the eyes of Kajsa Bergqvist.
– I don’t know when I was this pissed off last time, I’m going completely crazy. What has happened in the last few days as well. This was just the last straw, but at least now he’s in. It was deep inside and I don’t think it should be. The rules are very clear and I don’t understand why they are trying to get him out, she says to the evening newspaper.
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READ MORE: Maja Åskag’s big confession during the athletics EC – the Swedish success now admits the nightmare: “I’ve had shit”
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