USA Track and Field Appeals Men's 4x100 Disqualification

The disqualification bumped Canada up to the bronze.

ByABC News
August 20, 2016, 2:03 AM
Members of the United States team from left, United States' Justin Gatlin, United States' Mike Rodgers and United States' Tyson Gay celebrate after the men's 4x100-meter relay final during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Aug. 19, 2016.
Members of the United States team from left, United States' Justin Gatlin, United States' Mike Rodgers and United States' Tyson Gay celebrate after the men's 4x100-meter relay final during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Aug. 19, 2016.
AP Photo/Lee Jin-man

— -- USA Track and Field has officially filed an appeal after the men's 4x100-meter relay team was disqualified from Friday night's final at the Olympics, USATF announced following the competition.

USATF, the national governing body for track and field, long-distance running and race walking in the U.S., said it expects a decision from the jury Saturday morning.

The U.S. finished the race third but was disqualified after leadoff runner Mike Rodgers was ruled to have passed the baton to Justin Gatlin before the start of the first exchange zone.

The Americans' disqualification elevated Canada to win the bronze. Jamaica's Usain Bolt snagged the gold, while Japan won the silver.

"It was the twilight zone. It was a nightmare," said Gatlin, who, along with his teammates, found out about the disqualification while parading the U.S. flag around the track. "You work so hard with your teammates, guys you compete against almost all year long. All that hard work just crumbles."

If the ruling stands, it will mark the ninth time since 1995 the U.S. men have been disqualified or failed to get the baton around at the Olympics or world championships, according to the Associated Press.

ABC News' Devin Villacis contributed to this report.