Mathieu Van Der Poel landed himself in trouble after spitting on a group of spectators in the Cyclocross World Cup in Hulst. His actions prompted the UCI to enforce a fine of 250 Swiss Francs. The entire fiasco started when fans decided to discourage and boo Van Der Poel throughout the race. They booed him even during his practice session. Things got stretched too far when the fans continued their booing even after Van Der Poel came out victorious in the race. 

Disgusted and frustrated by the crowd’s behavior, the Dutchman snapped and spat at the crowd. The 28-year-old was charged under the 5.6.001 section of the UCI’s Cyclocross regulations. Under the regulation, item 17 forbids an athlete from “insults, threats, inappropriate behaviour”. 

Mathieu Van Der Poel reflects on his actions

Van Der Poel accepted his actions as he reflected on his triumph at Hulst. Reminiscing about the event, Poel seemed visibly dissatisfied with the audience. He stated that such behavior is intolerable and none of the athletes deserved to be booed and insulted like that. Soon after the incident came to light, it was expected that disciplinary actions would be taken against him. 

Although the cyclist will be abiding by the rule and paying the said amount, the shameful act of the crowd has everyone on the same page. After Poel expressed his disappointment, the organizers stated that such behavior brings a negative connotation to the sport. 

Organizers unhappy with spectators 

The organizing committee stated that such groups of audiences “do not belong” to the game. In fact, the crowd also shoved a couple of photographers during the press event, according to reports from the organizers. The committee addressed the incident in an elaborate Facebook post saying, “More than 22,000 spectators saw how the Netherlands added colour to both elite stages, with winners Puck Pieterse and Mathieu van der Poel taking center stage. Unfortunately, there was also a dark side to this beautiful day. One that certainly tempers the euphoric feeling.”

Read More: “It Was Enough, Also for Me” – Mathieu Van Der Poel’s Hulst Victory Marred by Spitting at His Booers as the Cyclist Reveals the Backstory Behind the Outburst

The statement further detailed how Poel was taunted in a shameful manner with beer. It also mentioned the audience pushing a couple of media persons into the water. Speaking about the damage control, the committee ensured that they would take strict measures to filter out the crowd to prevent such incidents from happening again. 

With that being said, it remains to be seen how Mathieu Van Der Poel will compose himself and come back stronger in the upcoming events. 

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