Olympic Wrestler Tosses Bronze Medal, Then Gets Tossed-Updated With Video
More chocolaty Olympic goodness.
In the tradition of Jerry Stubbs tossing the Alabama title off the Gay Street Bridge (or maybe that was Ronnie Garvin, I disremember) and Steve Austin sending the WWE Intercontinental title to sleep with the fishes, an Olympic wrestler has had his bronze medal taken away from him after he threw a hissy fit and stormed off the stage:
Ara Abrahamian was punished by the International Olympic Committee for violating the spirit of fair play during the medal ceremony, becoming the fourth athlete kicked out of the Games and bringing the number of medals removed to three.
Abrahamian became incensed when 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 Thursday.
During the medal ceremony, the Armenian-born Abrahamian, who was the silver medalist at the 2004 Athens Games, took the bronze from around his neck and, angrily, dropped it on the mat as he walked away. He did not take part in the rest of the medal ceremony.
Well, at least he didn’t embarrass himself too much, and he got his point across. If his point was to act like a freakin’ three-year old in front of the entire world. Because what did you expect to happen Ara? Everyone to look at your childish display and go, “you know Ara really did have a point, let’s go ahead and give him the gold”. Of course not, you lost, so you decided to take your revenge by making yourself the center of attention at the medals ceremony. I’m not saying that he might not have had an argument, but when you act that way no one’s going to be in your corner for long. You would have gained more respect by manning up, by being a good little soldier and having everyone go, “you know, Ara got a raw deal, but he’s handling things like a real champ”. Instead, you acted like Jessica Simpson at a Carrie Underwood concert.
Respect is like sex. If you have to beg for it, you’re probably not going to be getting it.
For your viewing pleasure, the afore-mentioned Stone Cold, belt-tossing after the jump:
August 16th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Haha…sex and respect…ha!
August 16th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
I wonder if he realizes that he lookes like a stupid spoiled child. His trainer must be pissed. All that work for nothing.
August 16th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
IMO, if he didn’t want the medal to begin with (which is what I would assume by tossing it on the mat and leaving), then how is stripping him of it any kind of punishment? I would think something like banned from future participation would have to be a better punishment.
August 17th, 2008 at 12:26 am
He probably will be after further review. They’ve done that in the past when an athlete did something similar.