( CNN ) -- It may have seemed like a good idea at the time but Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad 's bizarre celebration in the home straight of the men 's 3,000m steeplechase at the European championships has cost him dear . Approaching the final barrier , the Frenchman had the race and gold medal in the bag , having enough time in hand to showboat by stripping off his running vest before putting it into his mouth and waving to the crowd . Fans in the Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich jeered as he crossed the finishing line clear of his teammate Yoann Kowal in eight minutes 25.30 seconds -- his third straight victory in the event at the championships after 2010 and 2012 . The 29-year-old had the presence of mind to put his top back after the finish , but the damage was done . He was initially shown a yellow card as a warning by an official , but an appeal by Spain on behalf of fourth placed athlete Angel Mullera led to his disqualification . His French team lodged a counter-protest but that was rejected , with Mekhissi-Benabbad disqualified under IAAF competition rules 143.1 , 143.7 . -- relating to clothing and numbers . Mullera was promoted to the bronze as result of the ruling . `` I find that the protest lodged by the Spaniards is anti fair-play , '' Ghani Yalouzsa , the technical director of the French athletics federation , was quoted by AFP . But the double Olympic silver medalist is no stranger to controversy . After winning his 2012 Euro gold in Helsinki he was criticized for shoving a mascot who offered him a gift . The year before , Mekhissi-Benabbad was involved in a punch-up with French teammate Mehdi Baala at the 2011 Monaco Diamond League meeting , trading blows while they were still on the track and earning a five-month suspension from their federation .
French runner stripped of European title in bizarre incident . Mahiedine Mohamed - He took off running in the straight . 3,000 m steeplechase star disqualified for interference . He has previous history of controversial incidents .