When Khalid Skah stepped on the podium in 1992,
two days after winning the men's 10,000 metres,
the Barcelona crowd made it clear what it thought of the
Moroccan's performance.
The jeers that rained down on Skah greeted one of the most
controversial victories in modern Olympic Games history.
In the minds of those fans,
Skah was one of the all-time Olympic Games sinners,
alongside his team-mate and alleged co-conspirator,
Hammou Boutayeb.
The men stood accused of engineering a cynical triumph
that went beyond the limits of acceptable race strategy.
Richard Chelimo of Kenya
had been denied gold by his archrivals
from North Africa, who had run the race as a team.
The accusations were far from proven.
Boutayeb's behaviour was certainly unusual,
but in the eyes of some observers, he was innocent.
Perhaps it was karma.
The Kenyans themselves had often been accused of
some dubious team racing.
Either way, Skah's triumph felt very hollow indeed.
In 1992, the Kenyans and Moroccans were the kings of
long-distance running.
Morocco had the reigning Olympic champion in its ranks,
but Kenya dominated the 10,000 metres at the
World Championships the previous year.
Eight of the world's 11 fastest men
over the distance were Kenyan.
In Barcelona, the scene was set for the next battle.
The atmosphere was hostile.
And by the time the race was 6,500 metres old,
all other parties slipped away.
It was Chelimo verus Skah, head-to-head.
That, at least, was how it seemed.
But coming towards the end of lap 22,
the race leaders encountered that man, Boutayeb.
He was second last, a back marker,
a man whose only job now was to move aside and be lapped.
But Boutayeb would not be moved.
And what happened over the next few laps
was the source of the controversy.
Boutayeb wouldn't get out of the way.
Chelimo and Skah overtook him,
but then he overtook them right back.
They passed again,
but Boutayeb run alongside them,
then he got back in front.
What was Boutayeb doing back there, anyway?
He was 36, but still an elite athlete.
It looked like a Moroccan conspiracy.
The idea seemed to be too slow down and distract Chelimo
with all the suspicious shenanigans,
and then allow Skah to run clear.
Race officials thought it was odd.
The chairman of the IAAF technical committee
stepped onto the track
to try and hold back Boutayeb.
The crowd grew restless, and booed what they saw.
And even after Skah sprinted clear of Chelimo
to cross the line first,
and blew kisses to the supporters,
he found he had few.
They believed they had witnessed a con.
Almost immediately, the authorities concurred.
The IAAF disqualified Skah, citing a breach of rule 143.2.
But Skah said he had no idea what Boutayeb had been up to.
They weren't even friends.
Skah said Boutayeb was an animal and an imbecile.
TRANSLATION: I think as a former champion it was
an embarrassment for him to be lapped.
The authorities were stung by claims
that they had been hasty.
Skah said they were racist and thieves.
And the IAAF relented again.
They reinstated Skah and gave him the gold medal.
But what was the truth? Will we ever know?
Chelimo said he heard Boutayeb and Skah talking to each other
on the track. What was being said?
TRANSLATION: I was yelling at him to go away.
"You are making big troubles. You are making big troubles."
But inside the big stadium was 50,000 people yelling
and whistling, you cannot hear anything.
The Kenyans threatened to walk out.
The credibility of the sport was in jeopardy.
But Boutayeb remained silent,
even as Skah stepped onto the podium
to receive his medal.
What could I do?
It was my duty and obligation
to go out there and face it as best
as I could. I was smiling, but very sad inside.
My honour was at stake.
And I would not go out and face them if I had felt I had
dishonoured myself.
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