Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Wrestling competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, were held at the China Agricultural University Gymnasium from August 12-21, 2008. It was split into two disciplines, Freestyle and Greco-Roman which are further divided into different weight categories. Men competed in both disciplines whereas women only took part in the freestyle events with 18 gold medals being awarded. This was the second Olympics with women's wrestling as an event.The Swedish wrestler, Ara Abrahamian protested the Bronze medal he won in the 84kg Greco Roman event after he felt that the judges made an improper call which cost him the match against the eventual gold medal receipent, Andrea Minguzzi from Italy [cite|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idUKPEK17319620080814?sp=true
title=Angry Swede throws down medal, quits
author=Douglas Hamilton
publisher=Thomson Reuters
date=August 14, 2008] .

Medal summary

Medal table

*Ara Abrahamian of Sweden originally won one of the two bronze medals in the 84 kg weight class but was disqualified by the IOC after he stepped off the podium and dropped his medal in the center of the mat to protest the officiating.

CAS hearing

The Court of Arbitration for Sport also held a hearing based on the request which was issued by Abrahamian and the Swedish Olympic Committee against the FILA. Preceding the hearing CAS declared in a statement that Abrahamian and the SOC "do not seek from the CAS any particular relief" regarding the ranking of the medals or a review of the IOC decision to exclude Abrahamian from the games. [13]

Following the CAS issued an arbitration [14] strongly criticizing FILA. Not challenging the outcome of the match and the technical judgments, the arbitration stated that the FILA is required to provide an appeal jury capable to deal promptly with the claims of the athletes.

The chairman of the SOCommittee, Stefan Lindeberg, commented that the decision once and for all shows that FILA did not act correctly and that they did not follow their own rules of fair play. [cite news|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer08/wrestling/news/story?id=3538212 |title=IOC strips Abrahamian's bronze medal for tantrum|date=2008-08-16|accessdate=2008-08-16|publisher="ESPN"]

Women's events

Freestyle

Qualification

References

* [http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/international-wrestling/8039-2008-u-s-olympic-wrestling-team-preview-and-results.html U.S. Olympic Team & Weight Class Previews]
*International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles
* [http://www.fila-wrestling.com/beijing08/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1&lang=en Fila Wrestling Beijing 2008]
* [http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/programme/index_uk.asp?SportCode=WR Olympic Committee]