Mongolian wrestling coaches strip off clothing in protest over controversial decision
A pair of Mongolian wrestling coaches ripped off their clothes and refused to leave the mat over what they felt was unfair scoring that cost their man a bronze medal at the Rio Olympics on Sunday.
Mongolia’s Mandakhnaran Ganzoring was facing off with Uzbekistan’s Ikhtiyor Navruzov in Sunday’s bronze medal bout and appeared to have won, 7-6, according to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post. Ganzoring went to celebrate with his coaches, but judges apparently docked him a point for leaving too early and another point somehow went up in favor of Navruzov.
The pair of Mongolian coaches erupted. One, Byambarenchin Bayoraa, removed his shirt and shoes in fury and slammed them to the ground in protest as he rushed toward the scorer’s table. The other coach, Tsenrenbataar Tsostbayar, went one better by removing his pants as well, making for a truly strange scene inside Carioca Arena 2.
What is happening?! pic.twitter.com/VzUeCNIIhc
— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) August 21, 2016
Both refused to leave the mat and won the support of the crowd. Brazilian police ultimately had to step in and escort them out.
The crowd is chanting, "Mon-go-lia!" as both coaches refuse to leave the mat, one shirtless and one stripped to his underwear.
— Adam Kilgore (@AdamKilgoreWP) August 21, 2016
Brazilian national police had to escort both Mongolia coaches off. The one put his pants back on. Both shirtless. And the crowd goes wild.
— Adam Kilgore (@AdamKilgoreWP) August 21, 2016
“The referees supported the Uzbek,” Bayoraa told the assembled Mongolian press.
Both the wrestling and boxing events have been mired in controversy in Rio. Several boxing judges were sent home amidst accusations of match fixing. Three wrestling officials were removed before the bronze medal match over a controversial decision that went against Puerto Rico’s Franklin Gomez, a decision that went in favor of Navruzov, the same wrestler who benefited on Sunday.
