- Post on BBC Sport was deleted without explanation
- Erin Brown has continued his criticism of Gout Gout
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has come under fire after deleting a social media post featuring Aussie teenage sprint sensation Gout Gout.
It comes as polarising US track star Erin Brown declared the Brisbane teenager will be a ‘laughing stock’ in his next race when he competes overseas in the Diamond League.
Gout, 18, flashed across the track to post a scintillating 19.67 seconds to claim the national title over 200m at the Australian Athletics Championships in Sydney on April 12.
Not long after the BBC posted a photo of the 18-year-old celebrating, labelling the young gun ‘absolutely rapid’ before comparing Gout to famed Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, who ran 19.93 seconds over 200m at the same age.
Eyebrows were then raised when without explanation, the post on BBC Sport was swiftly deleted.
Some users felt the BBC removed the Gout post because the accompanying photo wasn’t flattering.
The British Broadcasting Corporation has come under fire after deleting a social media post featuring Aussie teenage sprint sensation Gout Gout (pictured)
It followed Gout, 18, flashing across the track to post a scintillating 19.67 seconds to claim the national title over 200m at the Australian Athletics Championships in Sydney on April 12
Gout Gout’s triumph in Sydney prompted US track star Erin Brown (pictured, right) to suggest the time over 200m was ‘fake’ and wind assisted
‘Media houses usually do not publish unflattering pictures of people no matter their race. The BBC broke this rule, realised its mistake and deleted the photo,’ said one.
‘The BBC deleted this tweet? Why would they do such a thing?’, posted another.
Meanwhile, Brown earlier this week claimed Gout’s 200m victory was fake in his eyes because it was recorded with an illegal tailwind.
Brown posted an Instagram Story with a clip of wind blowing at Sydney Olympic Park, with the caption: ‘+1.7 wind… mind you trees and shii falling over’.
The American – who has previously blasted Gout for competing against ‘white nobodies and bums’ – then expanded in another social media clip.
‘I thought we really witnessed something special… a million people text me, man, Gout Gout just ran 19.6,’ Brown told his followers.
‘That made me inclined to go check the results. ‘Not gonna lie, and if you say this s**t is hating, your ass is coping, because you wanna be different.
‘This s**t is clearly fake. Obviously, overtly, this is as fake as it comes.’
Gout set an under-20 world record with his sizzling time of 19.67 – and also beat the best mark Usain Bolt set when he was an 18-year-old
US track star Erin Brown (pictured) believes that Gout set his time with an illegal tailwind that was worth ‘half a second’ – despite the amazing performance being ratified
Brown wasn’t finished yet, with another Instagram video showing his clear resentment towards the Aussie.
He felt Gout is being ‘set up for failure’ and the youngster will be a ‘laughing stock’ when he competes at a Diamond League meeting in June abroad.
For a run such as Gout’s to be legal, the tailwind cannot exceed two metres per second, according to the rules set down by World Athletics, formerly known as the International Amateur Athletic Federation.
According to his World Athletics profile, Brown’s personal best for the 200m is a 20.55 that he set in May 2024.
He is ranked 3612 in the world and his best effort in the 200m this year is a 20.84 he set at the Don Kirby Elite Invitational in New Mexico in February.
