Gladiators embroiled in cheating row as contender makes it to series final after Sabre’s nasty injury
GLADIATORS has been embroiled in a ‘cheating’ row after a contender racked up fulls point following Sabre’s nasty injury.
Finalist Brontë was given a big boost in unfortunate circumstances after athlete Sabre badly hurt her hamstring on The Edge – a game that sees the contestants traverse narrow beams suspended high above the arena floor.
While fan favourite Sabre was taken to hospital and ruled our for the rest of the series, firefighter Brontë claimed full points which helped boost her head start in the final Eliminator round.
Viewers feel another Gladiator should have been drafted in to replace Sabre with so much time left on the clock.
One person wrote on Instagram: “Really hope Sabre is OK but it was so wrong to award Brontë the full points!!! Should have had another gladiator on to replace Sabre.”
Another said: “Totally agree! Seemed madness to award full points, there’s no guarantee she would have won them if Sabre hadn’t been injured.”
Others felt Brontë broke the rules in her desperate efforts to hang on to the apparatus.
One said: “Sabre’s injury’s was caused as Brontë hung on you should be disqualified for hanging on !!! You can’t do that on the podium so why is it allowed on other events!!”
Another posted: “Completely agree. Should have changed the gladiator with so much time remaining not just award full points.”
The injury happened as Sabre pinned Bronte down and tried to push her off a beam.
Commentator Guy Mowbray noticed that something was wrong, narrating: “Now Sabre is taking a seat here. I wonder if the Gladiator might be injured? And there’s still plenty of time to go. 30 seconds. But that’s where the event is halted.”
Sabre later told the Metro: “My hamstring went pop. I gave it everything I had, so did the contender.
“It happens, we put ourselves in these combat situations and we’ve worked really hard over a long period of time, and I feel like it was just the position I was in, the power I was putting into my leg.
“As an athlete, I’m no stranger to injury, it’s because we’re pushing our limits to get to that next level, that doesn’t come without risk.”
Sabre ended up on crutches after the accident and had to go through months of rehab before she was able to go back to her career as a weightlifter and personal trainer.
She opened up about the recovery process, adding: “Rehab went really well, I’ve had so much support from the physio in Gladiators, and a lot of people up here, professionals, have helped me, physios and chiropractors.
“I haven’t ventured into long distance running, I’m not quite there yet, but I’m doing shorter distances, taking plenty of time and listening to my body, and giving myself enough time, there’s no rush.”