HS track team DQ'ed from state championships after runner celebrated with 'thanks to God' gesture

A small hand gesture as an act of faith disqualified a Texas high school track team from advancing to the state championships because it was deemed an "excessive celebration" by officials.

Despite finishing first in a relay race at their school track meet last weekend in Columbus, Texas, the Columbus High School Mighty Cardinals were revoked of their win and disqualified from the next round of competition after the anchor runner touched his ear and pointed to the sky.

Runner Derrick Hayes made that gesture as he crossed the finish line in the 4 x 100-meter relay, local news channel KHOU 11 News reported.

Hayes' father, KC, said that he believed his son was giving thanks to God.

"You cross a finish line and you’ve accomplished a goal and within seconds it’s gone," KC Hayes told the television station.

"To see four kids, you know, what does that tell them about the rest of their lives? You’re going to do what’s right, work extra hard, and have it ripped away from you?" he fumed.

Columbus ISD Superintendent Robert O’Connor said the team had won the race by seven yards and that it was their fastest race of the year, but according to state rules the decision cannot be appealed.

Now, some of the residents in Columbus are blaming the school of infringing on the runner’s freedom of religious expression.

State scholastic rules prohibit excessive celebrations, including raising one's hands, according to runnersworld.com.

Those rules are the reason for the disqualification, said the judges.

Someone tell that to Usain Bolt the next time he points his finger towards the heavens.