During the men's 5,000-meter preliminary heat at the Paris 2024 Olympics, a chaotic scene unfolded as a collision involving French runner Hugo Hay led to the fall of four competitors, including British runner George Mills.

The incident occurred in the final stretch of the race, resulting in significant disruption and controversy as athletes jostled for position.

Mills, son of former Premier League soccer player Danny Mills, described the moment, stating, 'I got stepped out on as I was about to kick,' and expressed a desire for Team GB to appeal the incident.

A review of the incident confirmed that the fall was caused by a jostling incident among the runners, prompting officials to reassess the situation.

After reviewing footage, officials ruled in favor of Mills and the other affected runners, allowing them to advance to the final despite the fall.

Hugo Hay qualified for the finals of the 5,000 meters with a seventh-place finish, despite being involved in the fall.

Hay expressed relief at being able to compete in the finals, despite initial concerns about potential disqualification due to the incident.

The other runners who fell, including Dominic Lobalu, Mike Foppen, and Thierry Ndikumwenayo, were also confirmed to participate in the final, bringing the total number of competitors to 20.

Yann Schrub, who also competed in the second heat, highlighted the difficulty of avoiding falls in competitive races, noting that athletes are not trained to prevent such incidents.

Jimmy Gressier, another runner who finished ninth, acknowledged the competitive nature of the sport, stating that contact is an inherent part of running.

Commentators Paula Radcliffe and Steve Cram suggested that the slow pace of the race contributed to the falls, with Radcliffe emphasizing the need for better positioning.