For one Texas high school track relay team, the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat were separated by one simple thing: a religious gesture.
On Saturday, the Columbus High School Mighty Cardinals boys 4 x100 meter relay team was disqualified after the final runner, Derrick Hayes, raised his finger to the sky after crossing the finish line. The disqualification came at the regional 3A conference meet, and the team’s win would have given them a chance to advance to the state championship meet.
According to a press release from the Texas University Interscholastic League, the team was disqualified for “an unsporting act” and behaving “disrespectfully” toward the meet officials. The incident was a violation of the rules laid out by the National Federation of State High School Associations, the meet official ruled.
Unsporting conduct is behavior that is unethical or dishonorable. It includes, but is not limited to: disrespectfully addressing an official, any flagrant behavior, intentional contact, taunting, criticizing or using profanity directed toward someone. This shall apply to all coaches, contestants and other team/school personnel.
PENALTY: Disqualification from that event and further competition in the meet. Disqualification of a coach or other school personnel shall be from further involvement in the meet.
“There is no indication that the decision was made because of any religious expression,” the UIL statement said.
The runner’s father, KC Hayes, told KHOU News the gesture was merely a sign of thanks.
“It was a reaction,” he said. “I mean you’re brought up your whole life that God gives you good things, you’re blessed.”
NFHS rules state that once a meet is concluded, the official results become final. The UIL will continue investigating the matter to ensure that the runner’s religious freedom was not infringed upon.
“We’re still gathering all the information and reports from what everyone saw at the meet,” UIL spokeswoman Kate Hector told Red Alert Politics. “But we have had reports that it wasn’t necessarily a point to the heavens thanking God, it was more a ‘I’m number one.’ We’ve had different reports saying that he was pointing at his other competitors.”
Hector said the UIL will have a better idea of what happened by early next week, but added they don’t expect the ruling to be overturned. She called the situation “unprecedented” and said it was unclear whether or not the relay team would be allowed to compete at the state championship if the ruling was overturned.
The runner’s father sees the ruling as a violation of religious freedom and a worrisome message to send to the kids involved.
“You cross a finish line and you’ve accomplished a goal and within seconds it’s gone,” KC Hayes told KHOU News. “To see four kids, you know, what does that tell them about the rest of their lives? You’re going to do what’s right, work extra hard, and have it ripped away from you?”
So despite posting their fastest time of the year at the conference meet and winning the race by a large margin, it remains to be seen whether the Columbus High School boys 4×100 meter relay team will be competing in the 3A state championship a week from Saturday.
