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Great Britain's Jack Burnell lashes out at Rio judges after open-water disqualification

Great Britain's Jack Burnell slates the judges at the Olympic men's 10km open water race in Rio, saying that they "ruined the competition" after disqualifying him.

Great Britain's Jack Burnell has publicly expressed his anger at being disqualified from the men's 10km open-water swim at the Rio Olympics.

Tuesday's race saw a dramatic finish with Dutchman Ferry Weertman winning gold, Greece's Spiros Gianniotis being given silver and Frenchman Marc-Antoine Olivier getting bronze.

Burnell, who was initially given fifth place in the race but was then disqualified, told BBC Sport: "The one thing that ruins the competition is the referees. The whole thing is a joke.

"Apparently I was disqualified two metres from the end. I felt a hand on my leg and it stops me dead, I took a few more strokes and he is still on my foot.

"This is the grandest stage of all and it is ruined by a couple of judges."

Burnell subsequently launched an appeal against the decision.

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Giuseppe Labellarte
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Jack Burnell of Loughborough University S & WPC prepares to compete in the Men's 1500m Freestyle Final during day eight of the British Gas Swimming Championships at The London Aquatics Centre on March 10, 2012
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