French runner Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad was disqualified from the 3,000-m steeplechase gold medal after doing an early celebration of running shirtless before reaching the finish at the European Athletics championships.

Mekhissi-Benabbad took off his vest down the final bend and put it in his mouth while waiving to the crowd. He then held the shirt in his hand down the final straight for what was supposed to be his third consecutive European gold.

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The 29-year-old runner was initially issued a yellow card from a track official because of unsportsmanlike manner. When the athletes from Spain, who finished fourth and fifth, filed an official protest, that got him totally disqualified. According to the organizers, the protest was based on the rules about "clothing, shoes, and bibs."

Yoann Kowal, Mekhissi-Benabbad's fellow national, moved from fourth to second place in the final 200 meters, and took the gold instead.

"When I took off my vest on the last meters, it was because of my joy, of course," according to Mekhissi-Benabbad through the championship's website. The statement was given before the disqualification was declared.

The man was widely-known for his disreputable behavior. One incident was recorded on video where the Frenchman was slapping and pushing the European Championships mascot "Appy," worn by a 14-year-old girl in Helsinki.

The Algerian-born runner was again involved with a mascot in Barcelona when he requested it to kneel before him before pushing it to the ground.

At the Diamond League meeting in Monaco, he was also suspended together with teammate Mehdi Baala when the two exchanged blows after the 1500 meters event. Baala attacked Mekhissi-Benabbad with a head-butt and the latter countered by throwing punches wildly.

The French immediately filed an appeal to contest the disqualification but was harshly turned down by the Zurich stewards due to his inappropriate show off, leading him with no choice but to respect the judges' final decision.

Tagsmahiedine mekhissi-benabbad, steeplechase, european athletics championships, disqualification