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In one of the most bizarre happenings of these spectacular 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic games, Swedish wrestler Ara Abrahamian tossed his bronze medal to the floor in the middle of the ceremony and walked out...

Swedish Wrestler Throws Medal After Anger With Judging

by Ben Weixlmann (Senior Writer)

29

3035 reads

Breaking News

August 14, 2008


In one of the most bizarre happenings of these spectacular 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic games, Swedish wrestler Ara Abrahamian tossed his bronze medal to the floor in the middle of the ceremony and walked out.

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29 comments Last one added 10 months ago — Leave a Comment

  1. James Gailbraithenson 10 months ago

    the olympics (and their sanctity) has, like many other enterprises of peace and human coexistence, become tainted with the ugly and evil cloud of political dogma and undertones. The evil and the wicked rule the world, they are killing our planet, slowly killing off the human race, and we sit idle and let them. the US sitting by allowing its government to do what it is doing, same for China, Russia, other first world superpower.... this will all catalyze more catastrophic consequences than the German population sitting idle and falling under the spell of one Adolf Hitler.

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  2. nathan sparks 10 months ago

    The judges should be taken out and shot. It was quite clear who won the match, and the cheating judges should be shot. On the other hand, the judging rules could be better designed to be less subjective.

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  3. nathan sparks 10 months ago

    Well, maybe shot is too harsh... maybe they should be forced to review the tapes and rules and then taken out to the local bar for shots... of swedish vodka. The main thing with athletics is that if those judging or reffing are crooked then why bother? Like I said, the best thing to do is review the way it was handled and change the rules to make it less subjective.

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    • az by 10 months ago

      Nathan - The fact about a review is the problem. There are multiple reasons why experts feel Abrahamian was robbed. Abrahamian got penalized for a finger out of the rings, yet the Italian had his whole body outside of the rings with not penalties. Abraahamian was in an agressive position, the Italian hit Abrahamian in the head; the ref stopped the fight to bandage his head. This meant Abrahamian lost his agressive position and the Italian got to rest. So there are several mutilple reasons in this one match. In fact, I think it would be best to describe it as a disputed MATCH and not just a single disputed CALL.

      Second issue, the regulations call for the tapes to be reviewed,which Abrahamian asked the judges to do. The judges refused to review the tapes. And to make things worst, there are pictures of the supposed impartial judges LAUGHING at Abrahamian during the protest. Right in his face laughing. Lets remember this is a physically combative sport, Abrahamian's heart rate is racing, there's obvious rule and regulation irregularities, he's laughed at; and all he does is yell and slam doors. Give the situation and absolutely no physical confrontation, I think we can say Abrahamian was being quite controlled. Maybe not an A++ and he could of did better, but he did pass.

      As additional information, Abrahamian is an accomplished veteran world class wrestler. He's been world champion twice and silver medalist at Athens. OH yeah, he lost gold in Athens on another disputed call.

      More oversite judges might be needed, which would be a rule change. But in this case, it was the current rules for review that were ignored

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    • az by 10 months ago

      Nathan here exerpts from FILA's regulations about the mat chairman. "examine immediately the video evidence in case of obvious dispute in the presence of both the judge and referee"

      here are two more qualification and duties of the mat chairman

      "he takes note of all irregularities which occur and presents his observations or comments to the person in charge of the refereeing body which then presents them to the Refereeing Department and the FILA Bureau.

      he suggests, if necessary, the immediate suspension of the judge or the referee in the event of irregularity or serious offence."

      If he refuses to review the video evidence, kind of gives him a plausible excuse to report anyting as well.

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    • az by 10 months ago

      slight edit. .......plausible excuse NOT to report anything as well.

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  4. jun guan 10 months ago

    Hi,this is maggie ,In my opinion,I don't totally appreciate the point that nathan made .Although i don't see the total sport events .i think judge maybe made a mistake but not like nathan said , or he has his appoint for his own.

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  5. PJ Edelman 10 months ago

    I'd be pissed if my medal looked like gold but it wasn't actually gold. Why can't they make third place Neon or some crap like that?
    If you enter a sport that is judged, (as opposed to scored or timed) than there are usually crappy consequences.

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  6. Amy Goodhart 10 months ago

    I would have at least had the courtesy to accept the medal and be dignified and then file an appeal to judges or the olympic committee instead of making my country look like a bunch of idiots that have no respect. politics or not!!!!! I think that he really needs to grow up! There are children and people that look to these athletes as heros and examples and you need to think about what examples you are setting for these children especially.

    amy G

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    • az by 10 months ago

      I too was shocked at this headline, but spent some time checking the facts. I like how writers have taken poetic license and embelished the wrestler's actions. I makes me wonder if any of the writers have actually reviewed the wrestling match or the medal ceremony at all. For instance, the swedish wrestler did not "throw", "slammed down", or "whipped the medal at the mat"; the writer here said he "throws". If you watch the ceremony, the wrestler stood on the podium with the other bronze medalist. He accepted the medal around his neck, did the cheek kiss, even low fived the other bronze medalist. He then stepped off the podium, walked over to the center of the mat and dropped the medal on the middle of the wrestling mat.(symbolic gesture) And then walked off the mat, waving to the crowd. It seems to me, the wrestler was very controlled in his actions and respected the other athletes, the sport, and the medal. The swedish wrestler's issues are with the judges and the review procedure, not the other wrestlers. And considering this is a physical combative sport, his motions were very controlled. Almost forgot about "storming off", this phrase makes it sound like the wrestler jumped off podium, stomping his feet, throwing dozens of arm gestures, and yelling explitives at the everyone. The wrestler just walked off the podium to the center of the mat.

      Another note on timing and respect of the others. The swedish wrestler did this in the very beginning of the ceremony. He did not interrupt the presentaton of the other wrestlers. He did not walk off in the middle of the anthem. If he wanted to be completely unprofessional and disrespectful of everybody and everything wrestling, then he could of chosen a multitude of opportunities

      I agree with you about setting examples with children. If someone's opinion is that this is being unsportmanlike, then that is their opinion. But this is a very respectful protest, whose ultimate goal is to bring issue to the some wrestling judgement irregularities. There is a general concensus that the wrestling governing body is corrupt. His protest is for the greater good and future of his sport, not just the current olympics. In my opinion, he is sacraficing his bronze medal for a greater good. His actions during the ceremony, show he was quite controlled and purposeful. Not an emotional tirade

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    • L.J. Burgess 10 months ago

      swedish? or armenian?

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  7. B Becker 10 months ago

    Yeah, and this guy isn't even a "real" Swede anyway, is he? Just another one of those angry Middle Easterners - certainly not a credit to his race. I'm surprised he didn't have a bomb strapped around himself and set it off. I can see both sides, but acting like a bratty child - while probably acceptable for his kind - is not acceptable by western standards.

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    • L.J. Burgess 10 months ago

      He is Armenian from the Baltic region...Armenia is a Baltic state.

      Geography was class in Jr. High...one you evidently skipped.

      You showed your ass on this one 'B'.

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    • PJ Edelman 10 months ago

      lumping those angry middle easterners together is what the Olympics is all about.
      What 'race' are you referring to, exactly?

      Better yet, what do you mean by race?

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    • Daniel Muth 10 months ago

      Thank you for treating us to your racist world view. Wow. I don't even know were to begin. PLEASE get educated before and if you ever step into a voting booth someday.

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  8. carryit around 10 months ago

    this is getting ridiculous. "we doan lack yo addy-tude bo-eee". john kerry throws his war medals away and jimmy carter gives them back. black athletes raise their fists, and that is ok, but don't you dare show disrespect to the chinese dictators including questioning whether they are cheating using small children as their version of the new 'camel jockys' in the Girls gymnastic theater.

    tests for blood doping caused the loss of medals for several athletes but the i.o.c. refuses to 'test' for age the chinese should be ashamed. The legacy of Joseph Goebbels lives on in China.

    human rights violations abound in China while the people cheer the modern gladiators.

    pull out of this communist puppet show and may day parade now!!!!

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  9. carryit around 10 months ago

    this is getting ridiculous. "we doan lack yo addy-tude bo-eee". john kerry throws his war medals away and jimmy carter gives them back. black athletes raise their fists, and that is ok, but don't you dare show disrespect to the chinese dictators including questioning whether they are cheating using small children as their version of the new 'camel jockys' in the Girls gymnastic theater.

    tests for blood doping caused the loss of medals for several athletes but the i.o.c. refuses to 'test' for age the chinese should be ashamed. The legacy of Joseph Goebbels lives on in China.

    human rights violations abound in China while the people cheer the modern gladiators.

    pull out of this communist puppet show and may day parade now!!!!

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    • PJ Edelman 10 months ago

      The fist raise was totally not seen as 'ok' by many people.

      The 2 that did it were honored at the ESPYs this year, and a short film showed all the threats and crap they had to endure. Try to catch it if you can. 'OK' is pretty far off

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    • Daniel Muth 10 months ago

      Yeah, they were stripped of their medals too. It took nearly half a century for their act to be finally legitimized.

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  10. L.J. Burgess 10 months ago

    The headline is misleading Ben. The video shows Ara dropping his medal in the ring.

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  11. L.J. Burgess 10 months ago

    Very well written though, very well done.

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  12. Daniel Muth 10 months ago

    I see nothing wrong with the way he acted. I would be FURIOUS if my Olympic dream was thwarted by some laughing political henchmen. Particularly when the judges refused to review the tape. By all accounts he was cheated and if we simply allow cheaters to hide behind their official pretenses, then how can we hope to ever root them out? This was his moment to make a statement. If he waited, he would never have the chance to reach as many people as he did when the spotlight was on. I laud him for having the courage to do what he did, given the obvious backlash that he was going to incur, and hope that I would've had the courage to do the same. When you're right, you're right, and though it may take history a long time to catch up with him (as it did for the two U.S. athletes in Mexico City), I believe he will eventually be vindicated. Nice article.

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