A PARALYMPIC athlete denied a medal in Paris because she stopped to help her guide is taking her case to court.

Spanish marathon runner Elena Congost finished third in the race on September 8 but was later disqualified because she accidentally let go of the tether to her guide, Mia Carol, as she tried to help him after he developed cramp in the final stages.

The race rules state the tether must not be released by either the athlete or the guide between the race starting and finishing.

Lawyers acting for Congost, who was born with a visual impairment, sent a request to the International Paralympic Committee, the International Olympic Committee, World Para-Athletics, the Games organising committee and the French minister for sport on September 25 seeking to be awarded the bronze medal.

“Elena Congost had asked the recipients of her letter to respond by October 20, 2024 at the latest,” her legal representative Jean-Louis Dupont said.

“The IOC gave it a perfunctory response, claiming that it was ‘incompetent’ to deal with the matter. The other organisations did not even deign to reply.

“It is with great regret that Elena Congost will now have to assert her rights through the courts.

“We are now going to devote ourselves to preparing this legal action, which will be brought before a judge with territorial and material jurisdiction.”

The IPC said the disqualification was a matter for World Para-Athletics as it was done under its rules.

World Para-Athletics has been contacted for comment.

Congost has said, if she were awarded the medal, she would go back to Paris to take a picture of it with the Eiffel Tower.