Shocking moment team disqualified from Olympics final after athlete 'head-butts' rival
Callum Jones
Featured Image Credit: X/BBC Sport
A Team GB cyclist said he felt like he'd been 'rear-ended by a lorry' after he was struck by a competitor during a race at the Paris Olympics.
Team Netherlands were disqualified from the men's Olympic madison final on Saturday and issued a hefty fine.
The Paris 2024 Olympics officially comes to an end on today (August 11), and what a ride it has been.
From the boxing gender eligibility test row to the unfortunate pole vaulter whose manhood go in the way, it's certainly been an eventful one.
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The final week of the Olympics has very much been focused on the velodrome, with the madison final taking place on Saturday.
With just 39 laps remaining in Paris, Team GB's Oliver Wood took a huge tumble after his helmet was seemingly struck from behind by Dutch rider Willem van Schip.
Wood required a concussion assessment trackside following the crash, though was thankfully able to complete the race and finish in tenth place.
Wood decided not to issue a complaint regarding the incident as due to the team's current position in the standings, there really wouldn't be any point.
Wood stumbled into interviews with the world press with a painful looking swollen knee.
"He hit me so hard. I felt like a crash test dummy," Wood admitted.
"I will survive. I didn't see anything. It's just a bit different when you get hit from behind, you don't see it coming.
"There are a lot of people resting and riding at any one time. Instead of taking a high line around the track, I thought he'd cut it a bit fine and just ploughed into me.
"I've not watched it back. I'm trying to catch my breath. I have no clue, absolutely no clue. All I know is I got hit really hard from behind by literally the biggest rider on the track.
"Everyone's cognitive functions started to decline rapidly at one given point - you could see there were people having laps of concentration.
"When there are people all over the track, it is inevitable that people are going to collide wheels or whatever."
The Olympian concluded: "I don't know what I have done but my knee really hurts and my a*** really hurts. I feel like I've been rear-ended by a lorry."
The accident was certainly an ugly one, and thankfully Wood was not seriously hurt.
The IOC said in a statement: “Following the review of an incident during the Men’s Madison, Team 6; Netherlands, has been disqualified.
“Improper conduct and behaviour that endangers another rider (blow with the helmet).”
Van Schip was also slapped with an 1000 Swiss Franc ($1,155) fine.