Bizarre Olympic wrestling match ends with coaches stripping in protest
Andrea Romano
Updated
After a controversial bronze medal wrestling match in Rio, Mongolian coaches protested their disappointing result by stripping off their clothes.
The 65 kilograms freestyle wrestling match between Mongolia's Mandakhnaran Ganzorig and Uzbekistan's Ikhtiyor Navruzov initially ended with a score of 7-6 in favor of Ganzorig on Sunday.
Unfortunately, Mongolia ended up losing the hard-fought bronze medal after the decision was challenged by Navruzov, citing that the Mongolian athlete began celebrating with about 10 seconds left in the match rather than continuing the match with his opponent.
Judges ended up ruling in favor of Uzbekistan, who took home the bronze instead.
The Mongolian coaches, Byambarenchin Bayoraa and Tsenrenbataar Tsostbayar, understandably, were upset with this decision.
Image: TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images
Instead of walking away, they expressed their grief by refusing to leave the mat and taking off their clothes in protest. Tsostbayar stripped down all the way to his underwear.
When tensions are running high, sometimes you just have to do anything to release your emotions. Occasionally, that involves tearing off your shirt.
The coaches' protest immediately elevated them to folk-hero status. The audience started shouting "Mongolia! Mongolia!"
Image: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Image: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Ganzorig sat and rolled on the mat, looking shocked and deeply disappointed at the decision.
The coaches had to be escorted off the mat by Brazilian national police, according to The Washington Post. The audience cheered for them as they left.
Ganzorig might not have won a medal, but at least he inspired one of the most surreal moments of the Rio Olympics.
The NFL will allow players to wear protective Guardian Caps during games beginning with the 2024 season. The caps were previously mandated for practices.
Atlanta Falcons first-round draft pick Michael Penix Jr. said quarterback Kirk Cousins called him after he was picked No. 8 overall in one of the 2024 NFL Draft's more puzzling selections.
Tyrese Haliburton hit a floater with 1.1 seconds left in overtime to give the Indiana Pacers a 121–118 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. The Pacers lead their first-round playoff series two games to one.
Dan Wetzel, Ross Dellenger & SI’s Pat Forde react to the huge performance this weekend by Texas QB Arch Manning, Michigan and Notre Dame's spring games, Jaden Rashada entering the transfer portal, and more
Victor Wembanyama's rookie NBA season is finished. The San Antonio Spurs will sit him in Sunday's regular-season finale. Where does his first season rank among the league's greats?
Trump is entitled to an additional 36 million shares if the company's share price trades above $17.50 "for twenty out of any thirty trading days" over the next three years.