French pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie was booed on the podium and burst into tears on Tuesday night having compared the Brazilian crowd to the Nazi’s treatment of Jesse Owens.
Lavillenie, the world record holder, was booed mercilessly by the partisan Rio crowd during the men’s pole vault final on Monday night and was eventually beaten into the silver medal position by Brazilian Thiago da Silva.
During the medal ceremony on Tuesday evening, a visibly upset Lavillenie was again booed in ugly scenes.
International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach was appalled by the chorus of boos.
