CAS TO REVIEW SWEDISH WRESTLER CONTROVERSY HEARING TO BE HELD FRIDAY IN BEIJING
NBC13.com
Aug 20 2008
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BEIJING (AP) – The Court of Arbitration for Sport will investigate
a controversial Olympic bout that so incensed Swedish wrestler Ara
Abrahamian that he dropped his bronze medal in disgust and eventually
had it stripped by the International Olympic Committee.
The court said Wednesday it will hold a hearing on Friday in
Beijing. The inquiry was requested by Abrahamian and the National
Olympic Committee of Sweden, who are seeking to change the result of
the wrestling match and sanction the officials involved.
Last Friday, the IOC disqualified Abrahamian and stripped his bronze
medal after he dropped it in protest during a medal ceremony on
Aug. 14.
Abrahamian was upset that a disputed penalty call decided his semifinal
match against Italian Andrea Minguzzi, who went on to win the gold
medal in the Greco-Roman 84-kilogram division.
The Armenian-born Abrahamian – who also lost a 2004 Olympic semifinal
match on a disputed call – took the bronze from around his neck
and angrily dropped it on the mat as he walked away. The 28-year-old
Abrahamian also had to be restrained from going after matside officials
following his loss to Minguzzi.
The IOC executive board ruled Abrahamian’s actions amounted to
a political demonstration and a mark of disrespect to his fellow
athletes. He was punished by the IOC for violating the spirit of fair
play during the medal ceremony.
The Geneva-based CAS said Abrahamian and the Olympic committee "do
not seek from the CAS any particular relief" regarding the ranking of
the medals for the event, or a review of the IOC decision to exclude
Abrahamian from the games.