The international media has put the IAAF under the spotlight after it excluded Isaac Makwala from the London World Championships 200m and 400m events.

Since Makwala’s exclusion, international media has been awash with the news as some critics and some members of the public questioned the world athletics governing body’s sincerity in handling the matter.

International media was Tuesday awash with Makwala’s news of his last minute exclusion from the two events, thereby overshadowing his rival, Van Niekerk’s triumph in the 400m race.

“Wayde van Niekerk’s stunning 400m triumph overshadowed by withdrawal of rival Isaac Makwala” screamed a headline UK Telegraph online.

The Standard online also added to the mix with “IAAF faces questions over Makwala London 2017 norovirus exclusion” while the Irish Examiner also screamed “IAAF accused of ‘sabotage’ after excluding Wayde van Niekerk challenger on medical grounds.”

The Guardian also was not left behind as it came with a bold headline saying “Wayde van Niekerk wins 400m amid controversy as Isaac Makwala is barred”

RNZ (radionz.co.nz) of New Zealand, also had their slice of the cake as they said “Wayde van Niekerk retained his world 400 metres title in dominant fashion as he stormed to victory in 43.98 seconds but there was almost as much interest in the empty lane alongside him where Botswana’s Isaac Makwala should have been.”

The situation was also not helped by former 400m World and Olympic Games champion and former World Record holder Michael Johnson who also questioned the decision.

Johnson told the BBC: “The IAAF may soon realise they have got this horribly wrong as to why they have chosen to disqualify him. Does this apply to other athletes? If you collapse you are okay but if you vomit you aren’t okay? Has he been advised not to be around other athletes?  There is a lot of inconsistency here. And then of course, there is the elephant in the room — Wayde van Niekerk is an IAAF favourite and now his only challenger has been pulled out of both the 200m and 400m? The conspiracy theories will come out of the silence,”

While Wayde van Niekerk personally was quoted by the Mirror saying “ He was in great form, I believe he would have done very well, I have so much sympathy for him, I wish I could give him my medal, but its sport and these things happens,” ENDS