Luke Greenbank disqualified

British swimmer Luke Greenbank was disqualified from the men's 200m backstroke heats at the Paris 2024 Olympics after violating the 15-meter underwater rule, which prohibits swimmers from remaining submerged beyond this distance during turns. Despite recording the fastest time in the heats and initially believing he had secured a place in the semifinals, Greenbank learned of his disqualification shortly afterward, expressing his distress on social media and to reporters, stating he was 'absolutely gutted.' Ian Thorpe, a retired Australian swimming champion, commented on the disqualification, agreeing that the officials made the correct decision as Greenbank was significantly underwater after the turn. This incident adds to the controversies surrounding the 2024 Olympics, which have faced various challenges, including athlete complaints about conditions and issues with doping among competitors. Greenbank, a double medallist from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, aims to return stronger despite this setback, while the absence of Chinese swimmer Xu Jiayu raises further questions regarding doping controversies. Overall, the incident has drawn significant attention and highlighted the rigors and challenges athletes face in high-stakes competitions.