A French ace heavyweight boxer sat connected the Olympic ringing apron successful protestation for astir an hr aft helium was disqualified from his quarter-final bout due to the fact that of an intentional caput butt.
Mourad Aliev reacted with outrage erstwhile referee Andy Mustacchio disqualified him with 4 seconds near successful the 2nd circular Sunday. The referee determined Aliev had intentionally utilized his caput to clash with British hostile Frazer Clarke, who had important cuts adjacent some of his eyes.
After the verdict was announced, Aliev sat down connected the canvas conscionable extracurricular the ropes and supra the steps starring down to the arena floor. He remained determination unmoving, and French squad officials came up to talk with him and brought him water.
"This was my mode of showing that the determination was truthful unfair," Aliev said done a translator.
"I wanted to combat against each that injustice, and honestly today, besides my teammates had unfair results. I trained my full beingness for this, and I came into here, and due to the fact that of 1 referee's decision, I lost. It's over."
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After much than 30 minutes, boxing officials emerged and spoke with Aliev and the French team. Aliev near the apron, and everyone went wrong the Kokugikan Arena.
About 15 minutes later, Aliev returned to the arena and resumed his protestation successful the aforesaid spot for astir 15 much minutes. He yet near for good, but not earlier ripping the referee and the oversight of the impermanent Boxing Task Force moving the Tokyo tournament.
"I would person won, but it had already been written that I was disqualified," Aliev said. "I prepared my full beingness for this, truthful getting huffy astir this effect is natural."
Aliev and Clarke were engaged successful adjacent warring passim their 2 rounds, and Aliev did look to thin into his punches zealously. Clarke, who clinched a medal with the win, thought the determination was fair.
"I felt determination was a mates of heads going successful there," Clarke said. "Whether it was intentional oregon not, that's not for maine to say. ... I told (Aliev afterward) to calm down. You're not reasoning with your head. You're reasoning with your heart. I cognize it's hard, but the champion happening to bash is spell backmost to the changing room."
Aliev protested vocally and emphatically instantly aft the bout, yelling to the mostly bare arena: "Everyone knows I won!" Aliev claimed helium hadn't been warned by the referee astir his aggressive, headfirst warring earlier his disqualification, though immoderate ringside observers thought helium had.
Aliev refused Clarke's attempts to calm him successful the ring. Aliev won the archetypal circular connected 3 of the 5 judges' scorecards successful what was a adjacent fight.
Aliev's protestation didn't interrupt the tourney since his bout with Clarke was the last combat of the day session, which meant the adjacent bout wasn't scheduled for much than 3 hours.
France won six boxing medals successful Rio de Janeiro, but its talented squad has travel up abbreviated successful a fewer adjacent fights successful Tokyo.
Lightweight Sofiane Oumiha was disappointed by a speedy stoppage Saturday successful his nonaccomplishment to Keyshawn Davis, who was declared the victor aft staggering Oumiha with punches successful the 2nd round. Oumiha wasn't knocked down and appeared to beryllium susceptible of warring on, but amateur boxing referees are often quicker to halt fights than pro referees.
"We went truthful far, but we don't deliberation they wanted France to get a medal," France caput manager John Dovi said. "It looks similar each Olympiad determination is thing similar that. I volition discontinue the French squad and halt coaching due to the fact that of that. It's precise difficult."
Aliev's protestation is conscionable the latest section successful the distasteful broadside communicative of Olympic boxing, which has been plagued for decades by a operation of inconsistent officiating from occasionally sketchy figures and mediocre sportsmanship from its losing fighters.
The astir celebrated protestation against a judging determination occurred successful 1988 successful Seoul, erstwhile South Korean bantamweight Byun Jung-il refused to permission the ringing aft being penalized 2 points for utilizing his caput illegally. Byun stayed successful the ringing for implicit an hour, and Seoul officials yet turned retired the lights.
The Tokyo Olympic boxing tourney is being tally by a peculiar task unit alternatively of the International Boxing Association, which was suspended by the IOC successful 2019.
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