Two Cyclists Disqualified From Tokyo Olympics 2020 After Misinterpreting the Rules

The Tokyo Olympics 2020 is no stranger to seeing withdrawals across the board. However, two disqualifications to Mexico’s cycling team just days ahead of the cycling events shocked the Mexican Cycling Federation.

The cyclists in question are Yareli Acevedo and Victoria Velasco.

Acevedo and Velasco forced to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics 2020

Last month, Acevedo competed in the Mexico National Championships. Although she finished fourth in the endurance race in the women’s elite category, she won the individual time trial in the under-23 category. At the Tokyo Olympics, the 19-year-old would represent Mexico in the individual time trial category.

On the other hand, Velasco came second in the Pan American Championships road race in the women’s juniors category. At Tokyo, the 18-year-old would represent her country in the Omnium category.

However, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) handed disqualifications to both teenage cyclists since they didn’t score the minimum UCI points needed to take part. After their disqualification, the Mexican Cycling Federation issued a statement on the news.

The statement read,?“Victoria Velasco and Yareli Acevedo were made to withdraw from the Mexican delegation participating in the Tokyo Olympic Games, due to a misinterpretation in the classification process in the discipline by the Mexican Cycling Federation.

“Velasco, who was registered to compete in the women?s omnium event, will not attend because she accumulated the required points outside of the established time in the international ranking to obtain her place. In regards to Acevedo, she was slated to participate in the time trail but was rejected once the federation registered her, despite not having the minimum points required to compete in Tokyo.”

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Mexico’s initial selections refuse to replace disqualified cyclists

Initially, the federation selected Jessica Salazar and Yareli Salazar for the Games. While the two cyclists passed all the eligibility criteria, they carried good form leading up to Tokyo. However, just a month after making the team, the federation replaced both cyclists with Velasco and Yuri Verdugo.

Although Yareli will represent Mexico in the road race, she will not race in her specialty, the time trial. While she participates at Tokyo, Jessica revealed she wouldn’t do the same out of respect for Yareli.

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She said,?“Yesterday, I learned through the comments made on social media by the Mexican Olympic Committee, that I would be competing in the Omnium. I would like to clarify that I was not notified personally or formally at any moment of this.

“In regards to the event in question, I cannot within my own ethics as an athlete and out of respect for my country and teammate Yareli Salazar, who is qualified, compete in this event.”

Amidst the turn of events, Yareli Salazar will take part in the women’s Olympic road race on Sunday, July 25.

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