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After being disqualified, U.S. men’s 4×100 relay team’s appeal denied

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RIO DE JANEIRO — Star-crossed and snake-bit, the U.S. men’s 4×100 relay team lost its appeal and will not be attending Saturday’s night medal ceremony at Olympic Stadium.

The Americans were the third team across the finish line Friday night but as they were wrapping up their celebratory lap around the track, they learned they’d been disqualified due to a bad pass between leadoff runner Mike Rodgers and Justin Gatlin, apparently passing the baton prior to entering the handoff zone. Officials with U.S.A. Track and Field filed an appeal around 12:30 a.m. and about an hour later the International Association of Athletics Federations, the sport’s governing body, ruled against them.

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The Americans haven’t medaled in the 4×100 relay since their silver in 2004. They were stripped of their silver from the 2012 Games due to Tyson Gay’s doping violation, and they were disqualified in the first-round heats in 2008. The world championships haven’t been kind to them either. Sports Illustrated’s Tim Layden has a good recap of their struggles here.