American runner Paul Chelimo won silver during the men’s 5,000-meter run last night, only to find out during a live on-air interview with NBC reporter Lewis Johnson that he’d actually been disqualified.
“Paul, I am getting some information here that you have been disqualified in this final,” is probably something you should refrain from saying to the guy who pulled silver a silver medal only minutes ago, especially when he hadn’t even been informed yet. You can tell from the video that he’s shaken by Johnson’s statement, but succeeds in maintaining his composure despite the soul-crushing news.
Luckily for Chelimo the decision was later overturned and he walked away with his silver medal, though Twitter was still pretty pissed over how callous NBC’s post-race interview went:
Paul Chelimo finding out he'd been DQ's on camera was brutal. 🤔
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) August 21, 2016
.@NBC owes Chelimo apology for telling him abt DQ live. Haven't seen TV that unprofessional since… last night when they did it to the 4×1
— David Melly (@davidmellyruns) August 21, 2016
Wait. @NBCOlympics ambushed Chelimo with news of his DQ on live TV? Disgusting. @NBCSports should be ashamed. #Olympics #nbcfail
— Diana Gonzales It's Sho-time! (@trojanchick99) August 21, 2016
Maybe first tell Paul Chelimo about DQ off camera out of, I don't know, compassion.
— Stefan Fatsis (@stefanfatsis) August 21, 2016
https://twitter.com/Matt_Pereira27/status/767166843274530816
I feel bad for Chelimo man. Why should he find out in the middle of a interview that he's DQ'd…
— Justyn Knight (@justyn_knight) August 21, 2016
https://twitter.com/KelynSoong/status/767166445876830208
https://twitter.com/mjheller10/status/767166367384690688
I'm really uncomfortable with what NBC just did having Lewis Johnson telling Chelimo he was DQ'd. That said, Johnson handled it like a pro.
— Craig Hoffman (@CraigHoffman) August 21, 2016
Shame on @nbc for telling Paul Chelimo on camera that he was DQ'ed. Be a freaking human being.
— Luke Johnson (@lukejohnsonpoet) August 21, 2016
https://twitter.com/scATX/status/767165935132090368
Good thing NBC's reporters didn't tell Chelimo he had been DQ'ed. Oh, wait…
— Kristi (@KrisL36) August 21, 2016
NBC dropped the ball tonight…not their place to inform Paul Chelimo he had been DQ'd and stripped of a medal on LIVE TV! #HardToWatch
— Coach Brunner (@OHXC_OHTF) August 21, 2016
You all need to hop your happy little NBC DQ-announcing asses over to Paul Chelimo and apologize @NBCOlympics
— finewoman3💛❤️💙 (@finewoman) August 21, 2016
https://twitter.com/JAddottaArtist/status/767178994395381760
https://twitter.com/jakeeneix/status/767172943289937925
NBC won't bother interviewing Paul Chelimo after he wins silver to congratulate him, but they're more than happy to tell him he was DQ'd?
— AC (@AwaitingAndrew) August 21, 2016
https://twitter.com/hernon41/status/767169995013062657
.@NBC owes Chelimo apology for telling him abt DQ live. Haven't seen TV that unprofessional since… last night when they did it to the 4×1
— David Melly (@davidmellyruns) August 21, 2016
https://twitter.com/TheodoreK16/status/767168111741108224
It is pretty low for NBC to call Chelimo over only to tell him he was DQ'd on national television though.
— Parker West (@pxrkerwest) August 21, 2016
Not a fan of NBC breaking DQ news to the athletes live on air, like they just did w/Chelimo and w/the men's relay team last night.
— Kathy Blackwell (@kathyblackwell) August 21, 2016
What do you think, was NBC being unprofessional or was telling Chelimo he’d been disqualified fair? Let us know in the comments!