MARTYN Rooney accused Brazil of betraying the Olympic spirit after Great Britain’s controversial disqualification handed the host nation a place in the Rio 4x400-metres relay final.

Mystery surrounded the disqualification after GB won their semi-final in emphatic fashion.

The quartet of Nigel Levine, Delano Williams, 21-year-old University of Worcester student Matthew Hudson-Smith and Rooney were first in two minutes 58.88 seconds, establishing themselves as strong medal contenders, but those hopes were soon dashed.

It emerged the reason behind the decision was that third-leg runner Hudson-Smith was deemed to have part of his foot outside the takeover zone when he started running.

British Athletics appealed, using video evidence provided by the BBC, but it was rejected after the footage proved inconclusive, meaning the officials’ original decision was upheld.

European champion Rooney claimed Brazil did not deserve to be in the final with Trinidad and Tobago and India also disqualified. Brazil finished last in the final as the USA took gold.

“I don’t want to say it’s corrupt because we don’t know and I don’t have evidence to say either way but it’s crazy how three teams are disqualified and Brazil have found themselves in the final,” said Rooney.

“I understand they ran very well for them but they didn’t qualify for the final and that should be it.

“It’s not in the spirit of the Olympics to go and look to get people disqualified. It’s a very bitter pill to swallow.”

Rooney admitted the team were “very bitter” and “very angry” at seeing their medal hopes crushed in such heartbreaking circumstances.

“It’s something I’ve never been through before,” he said. “I felt we haven’t done anything wrong, ran out of our skins and just had it taken away from us.

“It’s just a very odd feeling. We’re powerless to change it. Even though I know we’re in the right, there’s nothing we can do about it, so it’s a tough position to be in.

“We proved we were in contention for a medal, so it’s very tough being in the village knowing I’m not going to be able to race.”

Athletics’ world governing body the IAAF said in a statement: “The decision to reject the British protest was made by the Jury of Appeal. Apparently it was a clear case.”