Paralympic athlete removed from medal standings and disqualified after officials found 'banned device'

The decision to disqualify a Paralympic athlete following an apparent error has left people divided.

The Paris 2024 Paralympics kicked off last week and has seen Team USA bag 33 medals already (at the time of writing).

The US currently sit in third place behind Great Britain and China on the table.

Elsewhere Italy has achieved 20 medals so far - a number that some believe should be 21 instead.

The Paris 2024 Paralympics are in full swing (FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)

On Sunday (September 1), Italian rower Giacomo Perini came in third place in the men's PR1 single sculls final, but was later disqualified for a pretty devastating reason.

During the race, Perini was found to have his cell phone in his boat with him which goes against the rules.

World Rowing said in a statement: "In the final of the PR1 men’s singles, the Italian athlete was found to be using communications equipment during the race, in violation of rule 28 and Appendix R2, Bye-Law of rule 28."

The 28-year-old athlete has since insisted it was a mistake and that the device wasn't used during the race, but he has still been stripped of his bronze medal.

Giacomo Perini was disqualified after the race (Harry Murphy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

"They didn’t ‘find’ me simply because I never used the mobile phone on the boat," Perini told ANSA. "I gave the phone to the jury so that they could see that the last call was from the night before, with the psychologist."

He added: "The rules do not say that you cannot bring the phone, but that you cannot communicate."

The exact wording of rule in question is that 'no communication with the crew is permitted from outside the boat using electric or electronic equipment'.

In the wake of Perini's error, Australian rower Erik Horrie was promoted from fourth place.

The Italian Rowing Federation has spoken out on the situation expressed its intentions of filing an official claim about the incident, the organization penned on Instagram yesterday.

It said: "The Federation is proceeding with an official claim, providing the phone records of Perini, who is only guilty of having forgotten it on the boat. We will soon give news of the outcome of the appeal."

Their appeal was later reviewed by Board of the Jury, with World Rowing going on to uphold its decision to disqualify Perini.

World Rowing announced the news on social media (Twitter/@WorldRowing)

The decision to disqualify Perini has left sports fans divided amid the athlete's statement about him not actually using his cell during the race.

"The important thing is that it wasn't in use, at least in my opinion," someone wrote on Instagram.

Another person questioned: "I can understand if there had been irregularities on the boat but what advantage can a cell phone locked in a bag give?"

But others argued that the rules about phones are clear.

One social media user said: "Well, even if you just forgot it in your bag, the rules are clear: it is forbidden to carry electronic devices with you, even if they are not in use."

UNILAD has approached World Rowing and The Italian Rowing Federation for comment.