Brazil's defending world champion pole vaulter Fabiana Murer has been on the end of criticism back home for blaming the wind after her exit from the Olympics.
Murer aborted the jump that could have sent her into the final because she thought the wind was too dangerous. Brazilian fans, media and even fellow athletes criticised her for not trying the last jump, many saying the wind was the same for every one.
Murer was one of Brazil's greatest hopes for a medal in London after winning the world championships last year in Daegu. She was looking to avoid the disappointment of four years ago in Beijing, when she was in contention until organisers misplaced one of her poles in the final to end her chances of an Olympic medal. This time she said the wind was the problem.
After failing to clear the 4.55m mark in her first two attempts, Murer started running for her final jump but stopped just a few seconds later after realising the wind picked up too much.
"I gave up because with that wind I wasn't going to be able to jump," Murer said. "It would be dangerous if I had jumped. I came back to try again, but the wind was still too strong. I could get hurt if I had jumped."
Organisers had already stopped Murer from attempting an earlier jump because of the strong winds at the Olympic Stadium, but they had cleared her for the final attempt.
She was criticised immediately on Twitter in Brazil, and later nearly all newspapers and websites emphasised Murer's "wind excuse" for failing to make the finals. The former Brazil volleyball player Gustavo, who won a gold medal in 2004 and silver in 2008, criticised Murer's decision not to jump, saying on Twitter that "Olympic spirit is not for everyone" and that "any sacrifice is valid to win for your country".
Murer defended herself and said she does not regret blaming the wind because she is always open about what happens to her in competitions.
"I did the best I could," said Murer, who ended 14th overall. "I always try to show everyone what really happens in a competition. I have always respected everyone."
In Beijing, organisers misplaced the pole Murer was going to use to try to clear the 4.55m mark in the final. She had to go directly to the one used for the 4.65 mark, which she said disrupted her entire routine. Organisers sent her a letter the next day apologizing for the incident, but said that ultimately it was Murer's responsibility to check her equipment before the final started.
"I always train hard to try to improve my performance so I can overcome my challenges and this year it wasn't different," Murer said. "I'll move on."