Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad is arguably one of the greatest-ever steeplechasers, but when it comes to mascot hating, he’s in a league of his own.
The retired Frenchman has five gold medals at the European Athletic Championships from 2008 to 2018, with four of them in the 3000m steeplechase and another in the 1500m.
However, he could’ve had more, and that’s not just because of a shocking incident in 2012.
Competing at the European Championships in Helsinki that year, the Reims-born talent took his second gold in the 3000m steeplechase and was approached at the finish line.
Standing there was a mascot called ‘Appy’ in a giant phone app outfit holding out a gift bag and the scenes couldn’t have been much more friendly.
However, Mekhissi-Benabbad then bizarrely slapped the gift bag out of the mascot’s hands and gave it an almighty shove with both hands.
As it turned out, inside the mascot costume was a 14-year-old girl.
She managed to stay on her feet, and was thankfully uninjured as reports claimed she was just shocked and winded.
Commenting on the incident, championship director Mika Muukka said: “Hopefully, the EAA [European Athletics Association] will deal with the case.
“Such behaviour is completely unacceptable.”
Mekhissi-Benabbad’s first mascot attack
Mekhissi-Benabbad, who also won silver at the London Olympics the same year, somehow avoided punishment, but this wasn’t a first.
Two years earlier at the same event in Barcelona, he reportedly had another mascot confrontation, although this one wasn’t caught on camera.
Having again crossed the line first to take gold, he found the tournament’s moon-faced humanoid named Barni and asked it to kneel before him.
Yet when the mascot got down, he again shoved it over, reports claimed at the time.
10-month athletics ban for Mekhissi-Benabbad
That incident in 2010 came just a year before he was suspended ten months for a fight with another Frenchman at the Monaco Diamond League games.
Like the other moments of aggression, this one also occurred just after the finish line, with Mehdi Baala reportedly headbutting Mekhissi-Benabbad who responded with punches and slaps after the 1500metre race, and the pair had to be separated by officials.
One gold medal less
Despite all these moments of aggression, it was in fact one display of showboating that cost Mekhissi-Benabbad most dearly.
In Zurich 2014 he crossed the finish line for a third straight 3000m st. victory, but was later disqualified for taking off his shirt before the end of the race.
Speaking shortly after, he said: “There was no arrogance, I was only thinking of celebrating my victory like a footballer.
“There was no arrogance towards my fellow-runners or the crowd.”
After having his disqualification confirmed a day later, he came back to instead take gold in the 1500m
Speaking about his incident a day earlier, he said: “What I did yesterday? I regret nothing.
“I did not know that I could be disqualified for such a thing. In every sport you can take your vest off, only in athletics you cannot. I find this very strange.
“Yesterday I went from big joy to immense sadness. I did not understand the reaction. I did not sleep last night.
“Mehdi Baala and my coach encouraged me a lot and gave me back my motivation for today’s race.
“I found the strength to come back here and to remobilise myself and get going again. I am very proud of myself.
“In the steeple final I did not hinder anybody and I won the race, I won the gold medal.”
The punishment ended up being a blot on Mekhissi-Benabbad’s record as he’d otherwise have five straight 3000m st. victories at the European Championships, but he did instead retire with five golds in a row thanks to his 1500m success.
And, unfortunately for him, the reputation as athletics’ greatest villain.