Tokyo: Indian wrestler Deepak Punia’s foreign coach Murad Gaidarov was Friday expelled from the Tokyo Olympics. He was charged with assaulting the referee, who had officiated the bronze medal play-off which Deepak Punia had lost to San Marino’s Myles Nazim Amine. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) cancelled the accreditation of Murad Gaidarov after a hearing was held in the matter.
“Indian wrestling team’s foreign assistant coach Mr Murad Gaidarov who was involved in an uncalled incident of assault on one of the match referees, is being withdrawn from the Tokyo Olympic Village immediately. He is being called back to India on the latest flight,” IOA secretary-general Rajeev Mehta tweeted.
Also read: Deepak Punia misses bronze by a whisker
Gaidarov has been guiding Deepak for some time now after the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) assigned him to train the 2018 junior world champion. Gaidarov, 42, had won a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, representing Belarus. He was disqualified from the 2004 Olympic Games when he assaulted his opponent outside the arena after losing his quarterfinal bout.
Punia lost his bout even though he was leading 2-1 with about 15 seconds left for the bout. The wrestler was overtly defensive and it allowed the San Marino competitor to take advantage of the situation and implement an attacking move that got him two points and the bronze.
