Team GB star demands 'apology' from Olympic officials after controversially being denied gold medal shot
Amber Rutter was cruelly denied the chance at gold
REUTERS
Team GB silver medallist Amber Rutter wants an 'apology' from officials after she was controversially denied a chance at gold.
Rutter finished tied with Chile's Francisca Crovetto Chadid in the women's skeet final with a shoot-off needed to decide the gold medal.
The scores were still tied after three rounds but controversy ensued when Rutter was called to have missed her fourth despite replays appearing to show a hit.
There was no video review system in place to challenge the call with Crovetto Chadid going on to win gold.
Amber Rutter was cruelly denied the chance at gold
REUTERS
The British star, who gave birth just over three months prior to the Paris Olympics, was magnanimous after the final as she celebrated her silver with her husband and young baby boy.
But upon returning to the UK on Monday, Rutter has had time to reflect on the controversy and she wants more answers from the sport's governing bodies.
"There has been thousands of comments and images shared of me clearly hitting my final shot in the gold medal match shoot off," she said.
"Due to a poor and incorrect decision by all three referees I was denied the opportunity to continue in the shoot off and chance at Olympic Gold.
"After the negativity I felt around catching Covid before Tokyo 2020 and the games becoming such a bad headspace for myself, I have said in many interviews I really didn't want to get sucked into the negativity of what could've have been..
"However, after being sat reading through so many of your comments with clear photographic evidence of me hitting the target. I feel like I owe it not just myself but the entire shooting community to highlight and address the matter.
"Every athlete, especially at the Games deserves to compete on a fair playing field. Whether that be through experienced and exceptional judging, or new technologies such as VAR which we have always had in place previously at ISSF competitions.
"At this point in time, I can't imagine a huge amount will be done, and that is not what I am looking for.
Amber Rutter missed out on gold to Francisca Crovetto Chadid
REUTERS
"However, I do believe some accountability needs to be taken to acknowledge and an apology for the incorrect decision ultimately costing me an opportunity of winning an Olympic gold medal. And furthermore a plan to prevent something like this happening in the future.
"There were multiple occasions through the final day where other shooters had a similar experience to myself and I am sure have the same feelings as myself.
"I hope to use this platform I have right now to try and spark change in our sport. We are at an elite level and these mistakes I believe should not even be a possibility. I hope we can work together, athletes, coaches, officials to create something better.
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Amber Rutter wants an apology from officials
REUTERS
"This has not taken away anything from my Games, I honestly had no expectations, to be completely honest I didn’t believe I would even make it through the first day with the little prep both physically and mentally.
"I am pleased to say that it has shone a brighter light on the Games for me!
"Now it’s time to be a Mum and a Wife again, enjoy life with a splash of silver."