GREENSBORO, N.C. (WBTV) - A former NFL player defended a Charlotte high school after it lost the state championship after a runner was disqualified in a controversial move this past weekend.
Mallard Creek High School had one athlete get disqualified over what the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) deemed unsportsmanlike conduct.
Viral video of the so-called “unsportsmanlike” action showed a Mallard Creek relay runner ahead of the pack as he closed in on the finish line. As he ran across, he raised his left arm, with his hand about head-high and his palm open, facing inward.
The runner was subsequently disqualified. Had he been given the points for winning the event, Mallard Creek would have won its third-straight state track championship.
Instead, Mallard Creek finished second to Jordan High School by just two points in the overall team standings.
“Judgment decisions made by meet officials are done with the full knowledge of NFHS Track & Field Rules as well as rules and expectations of the NCHSAA relative to unsporting behavior and actions,” the NCHSAA commissioner said in a statement. “We recognize there is deep disappointment experienced by the student-athletes, coaches, and the school community involved.”
An NCHSAA spokesperson said the association follows National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) rules. The NCHSAA said rule 4-6 in the NFHS Track and Field and Cross Country Handbook addresses unsportsmanlike conduct.
The same runner who was disqualified was reportedly given a warning after he flexed after winning an earlier race.
The Saturday, May 16 state championship meet was held at North Carolina A&T in Greensboro.
Mallard Creek ‘robbed,’ ex-NFL player says
Former NFL quarterback and 2011 Heisman Trophy-winner Robert Griffin III was one of the people who defended Mallard Creek.
“A High School was ROBBED of a State Championship,” Griffin posted on May 18. “Sports are expressive. Sports are passionate. There is a difference between taunting your opponent or being unsportsmanlike and celebrating a special accomplishment.”
Griffin wrote that the official who disqualified the Mallard Creek star “should be ashamed of themselves.” He also called on the NCHSAA commissioner to overturn the decision.
Griffin’s wife, Grete, was a competitive sprinter.
The former NFL star’s post received several thousand likes Monday morning, with hundreds of comments responding to it.
Former Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart -- who used to run track -- was another pro athlete who chimed in.
“Smh ... the official needs to be disqualified,” Stewart commented under a video clip posted by HighSchoolOT.com.
Also Read:Brawl breaks out amid girls’ flag football game in Charlotte area
Copyright 2026 WBTV. All rights reserved.