French pole vaulter booed again after comparing Brazilian fans to Nazi Germany

Silver medalist Renaud Lavillenie compared the Brazilians’ boos to Jesse Owens’s treatment in Nazi Germany.

For the second time in two days, French pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie was booed by the home fans in Rio. As he accepted his silver medal on Tuesday night, Lavillenie was brought to tears on the podium. 

Lavillenie was booed during the final on Monday night when he attempted to surpass the mark set by Brazilian Thiago Braz da Silva. Lavillenie failed to clear the bar and da Silva was awarded the gold. 

After the event, Lavillenie compared the boos to Jesse Owens’s treatment at the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany. He later apologized for the comparison. 

Yes, sorry for the bad comparaison I made. It was a hot reaction and I realize it was wrong. Sorry to everyone. https://t.co/rK5mmuMgqH

— Renaud LAVILLENIE OLY (@airlavillenie) August 16, 2016

The Brazilian fans booed Lavillenie once again during Tuesday night’s medal ceremony, which IOC president Thomas Bach called “shocking” and “unacceptable.”

IOC President Thomas Bach: 'shocking behaviour for the crowd to boo Renaud Lavillenie on the medal podium. Unacceptable at the Olympics'

— IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) August 17, 2016

Lavillenie was consoled after the ceremony Da Silva and IOC official Sergey Bubka.

Pole-vaulter Renaud Lavillenie consoled by Thiago Braz and Sergei Bubka after he was booed at medal ceremony pic.twitter.com/BrMoF3KGA0

— IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) August 17, 2016

Lavillenie won gold at the 2012 Olympics in London. In 2014, he broke Bubka’s 20-year-old world record with a vault of 6.16 meters.