Civil rights leaders and elected officials are demanding the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) reinstate a gold medal stripped from 16-year-old Salinas sprinter Clara Adams who celebrated her win by spraying her cleats with a fire extinguisher in tribute to Olympian Maurice Greene.
As reported by KTVU, Adams was disqualified from the competition for celebrating her 400-meter state championship victory by briefly spraying her cleats with a fire extinguisher — while standing on a grassy area, away from the track and other athletes. The gesture was a tribute to Olympic gold medalist Maurice Greene, who celebrated the same way in 2004.
Adams' father handed her the extinguisher after her uncle, a former firefighter, showed her how to use it safely. “My feet were on fire,” she said. “I just ran 53 seconds in the 400 for the second time in my life. That was a big moment for me.”
As KGO reports, despite the celebratory nature of the act, CIF officials quickly ruled it “unsportsmanlike conduct,” disqualified Adams, stripped her of the state title, banned her from running the 200-meter event, and, according to her family, physically escorted her from the infield. “I was just like, ‘what?’” she recalled. “I can’t even explain what was going through my mind.”
The incident unfolded at the same CIF championship meet where transgender athlete AB Hernandez’s top-tier performances were similarly undercut—this time by a last-minute policy shift that redefined podium placements, as reported by SFist. That rule change, enacted days earlier, came in response to political pressure from the Trump administration and reshaped how medals were awarded to avoid declaring Hernandez an outright winner. In both cases, CIF has faced mounting criticism for decisions that appear more reactive to politics and optics than athlete well-being.
The CIF has not responded to multiple requests for comment. Civil rights attorney Adante Pointer accused the organization of being arbitrary and heavy-handed by disqualifying Adams: “They robbed her of her achievement and have yet to explain what they based their actions on.” His firm is exploring legal options, including compensation for emotional distress. Co-counsel Marlon Monroe added, “You have a young girl who should be celebrated as a champion, but instead was publicly humiliated.”
According to NBC Bay Area, Adams said she’s now in counseling, adding, "I’ll never get that back. I’ll never get that back to enjoy the medal around my neck around everybody. And I’ll never get that back to run the 200, and we’ll never know what could’ve happened.”
Support has poured in from both Democrats and Republicans, including California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo. “Officials clearly overreacted,” Alejo wrote. The Monterey County Republican Party also issued a statement calling her win "a source of pride."
Meanwhile, Adams has received attention from universities like UCLA and Princeton, and Nike has reportedly reached out with interest. “I’m going to bounce back,” she said. “That’s the kind of athlete I am.”
Image: eyetoeyePIX/Getty Images
Previously: Trans Athlete AB Hernandez Wins Triple Medals at CA Track Finals Amid Policy Change, Protests
