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Former American track and field star Maurice Greene spoke out on Monday as California high school officials disqualified a rising sprint star for performing the celebration he made famous.
Sophomore Clara Adams, of North Salinas High School, finished in second place in the 400 prelims and came off the starting line quickly in the 400 finals and ran her way to a first-place finish, or so she thought.
Adams celebrated with her father after winning the race. She took a fire extinguisher from her father and sprayed her shoes with it, alluding to her being on fire, the Monterey Herald reported.
Greene performed the fire extinguisher celebration after he won the 100-meter dash at the 2004 Home Depot Invitational. “When I heard, cause it happened, and then people just started calling me ‘This girl who just ran the 400 did your celebration’ I was like huh? What?” he told KSBW-TV on Monday.
“If it was away from everyone and not interfering with anyone, I would say reinstate her,” the former Olympian said.
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Adams’ father, David, said the celebration was done away from any of her opponents.
“I have video of it,” he told the Monterey Herald. “She was on the other side of the wall. I told her to step off the track. She did not spray her shoes on the track. We have protested the decision. I feel it was racially motivated.”
He explained further to KSBW-TV.
“When she blew the fire extinguisher, the opponents were gone,” he told the station. “That was our moment of celebration, and CIF officials made it about them. The crowd went crazy, they loved it, the CIF booth went crazy, they loved it. But those few guys in those jackets took offense to it, didn’t like it, and made a decision based off emotions.”
The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) upheld the decision to disqualify Clara Adams from the 400. She then learned she could not compete in the 200 either.
Fox News Digital reached out to the CIF for comment.
In the wake of the incident, a petition was circulated to reinstate Adams’ win. It has received more than 1,700 signatures as of Tuesday morning.
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