Published: November 16 2023
In a controversial turn of events, Hungarian wrestler Dávid Losonczi was declared the world champion in the 87 kg weight category at the Olympic qualification wrestling world championships in Belgrade. This decision came after a serious refereeing error that led to Losonczi losing the final match. The United World Wrestling (UWW) made a unique decision to award both Losonczi and his Turkish opponent gold medals.
Refereeing Error and Controversy
During the final match, Losonczi was deprived of a clear victory when the referee declared his opponent, Ali Cengiz from Turkey, the winner with a score of 8-7. The Hungarian Wrestling Federation criticized the decision and took diplomatic steps to rectify the error. However, since there is no concept of protest in the current rules of the sport, changing the result seemed unlikely.
UWW's Decision
After appealing to the UWW, the Serbian president of the organization, Nenad Lalović, sent an official letter acknowledging the serious refereeing error. As a result, the UWW decided to change the result of the match and award both Losonczi and Cengiz with gold medals. In their statement, the UWW recognized Losonczi as the 2023 World Champion in the 87 kg weight category and adjusted the corresponding world ranking points accordingly.
Reactions and Joy of the Hungarian Wrestling Federation
Losonczi expressed his satisfaction and happiness with the decision, acknowledging the difficulty in comprehending what had happened. The President of the Hungarian Wrestling Federation, Szilárd Németh, emphasized that this outcome brought great joy to the Hungarian wrestling family and the entire Hungarian sport community. Péter Bacsa, Executive Vice President of the UWW, commended the decision as an exceptional moment, placing the interests of the athletes and fair competition above any mistakes or attempts to deflect responsibility.
Unprecedented Outcome
The decision made by the UWW to declare both Dávid Losonczi and Ali Cengiz as world champions in the 87 kg weight category is unprecedented in the history of the sport. This unique outcome highlights the importance of addressing errors and ensuring fairness in competitions.
Questions & Answers
What happened in the 87 kg final of the Olympic qualification wrestling world championships in Belgrade? Dávid Losonczi, a Hungarian wrestler, lost the final due to a serious refereeing error. However, the United World Wrestling (UWW) has declared him the world champion by a unique decision.
Who was declared the winner in the final of the 87 kg category in Belgrade? The Turkish wrestler, Ali Cengiz, was initially declared the winner with a score of 8-7.
Why did the Hungarian Wrestling Federation take diplomatic steps regarding the result? The Hungarian Wrestling Federation believed that the refereeing error deprived Dávid Losonczi of a clear victory in the final match. However, there was no concept of protest in the current rules of the sport, so changing the result seemed unlikely.
How did the United World Wrestling (UWW) respond to the situation? The UWW acknowledged the serious refereeing error and made a decision to change the result of the match. They declared Dávid Losonczi the 2023 World Champion in the 87 kg weight category and awarded him a gold medal alongside Ali Cengiz.
How did Dávid Losonczi react to the UWW's decision? Dávid Losonczi expressed his satisfaction and happiness with the decision, stating that he is glad justice has been done. He also mentioned that being declared a world champion is a completely different experience from celebrating a victory on the mat.
What did Szilárd Németh, President of the Hungarian Wrestling Federation, say about the decision? Szilárd Németh, President of the Hungarian Wrestling Federation, described the decision as a great joy for the whole Hungarian wrestling family and for Hungarian sport.
What did Péter Bacsa, Executive Vice President of the UWW, say about the decision? Péter Bacsa, Executive Vice President of the UWW, emphasized that the decision made by the UWW Board was exceptional. He stated that the interests of the athletes and fair competition are more important than hiding mistakes and deflecting responsibility.
Has there been a similar decision in the history of the sport? According to the Hungarian Wrestling Federation, there have hardly been any similar decisions in the history of the sport.
