Netherlands Disqualified and Fined After Jan-Willem van Schip’s Headbutt on Team GB’s Ollie Wood
Dutch Cyclist Disqualified and Fined for Headbutting Team GB Star The Netherlands faced a significant penalty following an incident involving their cyclist, Jan-Willem van Schip, who was accused of headbutting Team GB’s Ollie Wood during the men’s Madison race at the Paris Olympics.
The incident occurred at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines National Velodrome with 40 laps remaining in the race. Van Schip collided with Wood and was subsequently accused of deliberately headbutting the 28-year-old British rider. This act of aggression led to the Dutch team’s disqualification for “improper conduct and behavior that endangered another rider.”
As a result of the disqualification, the Netherlands’ results were removed from the official records, elevating Team GB to ninth place, though it did not affect the medal standings. Portugal secured a surprising gold medal, while Denmark and Italy took silver and bronze, respectively.
Van Schip has also been fined £900 (1,000CHF) for his actions. Despite passing a concussion test, Wood and his teammate Mark Stewart finished in 10th place. Wood, who was seen struggling with a swollen knee, described the collision, saying, “He hit me so hard. I felt like a crash test dummy. I didn’t see it coming. It’s different when you’re hit from behind.”
Wood was particularly upset by the impact, noting that the force made him feel as if he had been “rear-ended by a lorry.” He explained his confusion about the incident, as he did not see the headbutt coming and was struck by the largest rider on the track.
Team GB cycling legend Sir Chris Hoy criticized Van Schip’s actions, stating, “It was clearly van Schip’s error. He absolutely whacked him on the head,” while fellow Olympic champion Laura Kenny expressed surprise that Van Schip did not receive a warning or penalty.
This incident followed a contentious day where the Dutch team had previously accused Team GB rider Jack Carlin of playing “rugby on wheels” in a separate clash. British coach Mehdi Kordi, who works with the Dutch team, expressed frustration over the lack of penalties in the day’s events.
Carlin acknowledged his mistake in the earlier incident, explaining that his front wheel had slipped, causing an unintentional collision. Despite the controversies, Carlin went on to win bronze in their best-of-three sprint final.
The disqualification of the Netherlands highlights the ongoing tensions and intense competition among cycling teams at the Olympics.
