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Why U.S. gold medalist Cole Hocker was disqualified from World Championships 1500m final

A year ago, United States standout Cole Hocker won an incredible duel to take home the Olympic gold medal in the men's 1500 meters.

He headed to this month's World Championships in Tokyo with the chance to defend his title as the best 1500-meter runner in the world. But instead, Hocker has been disqualified.

Hocker would've advanced on time from Monday's semifinal into the final, but controversy instead has Hocker knocked out of the field.

Why was Cole Hocker disqualified from World Championship 1500-meter final?

Hocker was disqualified from the 1500-meter final for breaking the "jostling" rules, according to the Independent.

He needed a strong late finish to place in the top-six and earn an automatic qualifying spot to Wednesday's final, and in the process, he performed the action that got him DQ'd.

Germany's Robert Farken missed out on the top-six due to Hocker's actions, but the German federation appealed, and Farken was ruled to get the a spot instead of Hocker.

The U.S. filed a counter-appeal, but it was denied.

“We are disappointed by the decision to disqualify Olympic champion Cole Hocker from the men’s 1500m final,” said the United States Track & Field team in a release. “We believed we had grounds for an appeal and unfortunately, that appeal was denied.”

Entering the final straightaway of the second of two semifinals, Hocker was behind Farken and the Neterlands' Stefan Nillessen.

Hocker tried to squeeze through the pair, but he pushed Farken with his right arm and then kept the arm there.

Farken fell back to finish ninth in the heat.

"You can't do this, really,” BBC commentator Steve Cram said. “I know the gap was there, if he'd been a bit more patient. He uses his elbow, puts it across Farken, who may or may not have got in, it was down to thousandths of a second as it was with Neil Gourley. The Americans will counter-protest. They are absolutely miffed. That’s the Olympic champion, that’s not good for the sport and we’d love him to be there. But at the same time Hocker panicked there and he did impede the German athlete."

The 1500-meter final will also be without Norwegian star Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who didn't make it out of the first round.