The father of a California teenage track star who won her race but was disqualified for an “unsportsmanlike” celebration involving a fire extinguisher believes that her race played a role in the decision to strip his daughter of her title.
Clara Adams, 16, was disqualified by the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) officials after she sprayed her feet with a fire extinguisher following her victory in the girls’ 400-meter race.
NEW: California track athlete breaks down in tears after her California state 400-meter gold medal was taken from her after she celebrated too much.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 3, 2025
Clara Adams was seen spraying her feet with a fire extinguisher after finishing in first place.
The 16-year-old is devastated,… pic.twitter.com/b28NvFEhm8
An official immediately confiscated the extinguisher and led her away. Event officials not only stripped Adams of her title in the 400-meter race but also disqualified her from competing in the 200-meter race, a contest in which she was heavily favored to win.
The video fueled considerable shock and outrage on the internet from those who believe the disqualification was unwarranted, and pushback from those who felt she had disrespected the sport. Clara Adams’ father, David Adams, believes there was more to the decision than mere sportsmanship. In fact, he believes the source of the decision can be traced back to the “history in our country.”
“I say that because you look at the governing body, you look at the officials that are on the grass, on the grass area,” David Adams said during an interview on The Will Cain Show. “I know for a fact, with the history in our country when it comes to celebrations, when a white girl celebrates or a white boy celebrates, it’s called, he’s passionate. He’s good for the sport. We need this for the sport.
“But when a black girl or a black boy or a brown girl or a black boy, they celebrate, it’s deemed as unprofessional, unsportsmanlike. It’s ghetto. So why is it OK for one to celebrate, not the other? We have seen that before. It’s nothing new. I’m not making this up.”
For her part, Clara Adams says she’s still “in shock.”
“It was just really disappointing, because they just took my moment away from me that quick,” she told Cain. “You know, you think about, like, how long I have taken, me and my dad, to work for this moment. And then just for them to take it in minutes, it just — it’s unbelievable.”
The CIF code of conduct states that athletes are required to “be a good sport, teach and model class, be gracious in victory and accept defeat with dignity; encourage student-athletes to give fallen opponents a hand, compliment extraordinary performance, and show sincere respect in pre- and post-game rituals.”
The sports governing body has not publicly commented on whether it intends to overturn the decision.
