Short Track Skating

It took five finals but at last it happened. Short track skating witnessed its first controversial result at the Turin Olympics on Wednesday.

The discipline has only been in the Olympic schedule since 1992 but it is probably more famed for its disqualifications and protests rather than the skaters who whizz across the line first.

In the tense 3,000-metre women's relay, China thought they had won bronze behind South Korea and Canada.

With Italy left trailing a distant fourth, the crowd whistled and booed while the referees checked replays for obstructions.

The five-member Chinese contingent, however, wasted little time in beginning their bronze medal celebrations.

But their tears of joy soon turned into tears of frustration when the official result flashed up on the giant screen. The letters DQ loomed large next to China's name and the message was all too clear - disqualification.

China had been eliminated for blocking the Canadians in the closing stages and Italy were awarded the bronze. In a flash the boos changed into roars as the Italians raced back into the rink to acknowledge the fans (see picture).

"I hope we didn't lose the medal just because we were in Italy," said Yang Yang, who won China's first Winter Olympics gold medal in Salt Lake City four years ago.

"It's very disappointing but I hope sport is always fair play."