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• Ara Abrahamian represented Sweden in the 84-kg Greco-Roman wrestling competition at the 2008 Summer Olympics. After winning the bronze medal at the event, he discarded it during the awards ceremony.Telegraph: Swedish wrestler Ara Abrahamian vows to quit... (August 14, 2008) The IOC decided two days later that Abrahamian would indeed be formally stripped of the bronze. Abrahamian and his coach have also been banned from wrestling for two years.ESPN: IOC strips Abrahamian's bronze (August 16, 2008)

  Abrahamian previously won the silver medal in the same competition at the 2004 Summer Olympics, and placed first at the 2001 and 2002 FILA Wrestling World Championships.Official Olympics Site: Ara Abrahamian Biography

• Fast Facts

  1. Born: July 27, 1975Official Olympics Site: Ara Abrahamian Biography
  2. Birthplace: Gyumri, ArmeniaOfficial Olympics Site: Ara Abrahamian Biography
  3. Residence: Stockholm, SwedenOfficial Olympics Site: Ara Abrahamian Biography
  4. Height: 5'10"Official Olympics Site: Ara Abrahamian Biography
  5. Weight: 194 lbsOfficial Olympics Site: Ara Abrahamian Biography

• Throwing Away the Bronze

  On August 14, 2008, Abrahamian "threw away" his Olympic bronze medal in protest of the outcome of his semifinal match with Italy's Andrea Minguzzi. Minguzzi won gold in the competition.CNN.com: Wrestler tosses aside bronze medal (August 14, 2008)

  Right after being awarded the bronze, Abrahamian left the podium and dropped his medal in the center of the wrestling mat.Reuters: Swede throws down medal, faces probe (August 14, 2008)

  Abrahamian, who argued with officials following his semifinal match with Minguzzi, stated he was retiring after the Olympics. He called the games a "failure" since he did not win gold, and had to be "begged" by his friends to participate in the match for bronze. Abrahamian's coach blamed the semifinal loss on "politics."Reuters: Swede throws down medal, faces probe (August 14, 2008)

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Olympic Wrestling | Summer Olympics 2008 | Summer Olympics

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