3) Brazil fans boo pole vault silver medallist Renaud Lavillenie
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The home fans at the Rio Olympic Stadium were in for a surprise when they realised that Brazil’s very own Thiago Braz da Silva had a chance to win an unexpected medal in the Men’s Pole Vault. After USA’s Sam Kendricks had been eliminated after failing to clear a height of 5.93 metres, it was a showdown between the young Brazilian and 2012 gold medallist Renaud Lavillenie of France.
That was when the event turned ugly. In what was a spit in the face of sportsmanship, Brazil fans in the arena booed the Frenchman whenever he made an attempt to clear the bar. Having broken his own Olympic record, Silva had done the same and managed to clear 6.03m.
With one final attempt to clear 6.08m, Lavillenie was booed again and, this time, he showed a thumbs-down gesture to display his disappointment at the treatment meted out to him. The Frenchman failed to clear the height giving Braz da Silva gold much to the delight of the home fans.
It took an even uglier turn when he was booed yet again at the medal ceremony. This time, the Frenchman was reduced to tears and had to be consoled by Braz da Silva and pole vault legend Sergei Bubka.
“It's disgusting, there is a total lack of fair play,” he said. It's the Olympics. If there's no respect in the Olympics, where can we get respect?”
