At the 2016 Rio Olympics, the bronze medal match in men’s freestyle wrestling at 65kg between Mongolia and Uzbekistan ended in total chaos. The Mongolian wrestler pulled off some wild acrobatics to take a 7-6 lead late in the match. His coaches thought he had it locked up. With about ten seconds left, the Mongolian started celebrating early, hands raised, avoiding engagement. That’s a problem in wrestling. Judges awarded a point to the Uzbek wrestler for passivity, tying it 7-7. Since the Uzbek scored last, he won on criteria.
The reaction was immediate. The Mongolian wrestler was stunned. His corner erupted. One coach launched a stuffed toy at the judges. Then came the stripping. One coach yanked off his shirt and started screaming. He threw his shoes, one bouncing onto his own athlete, the other landing in a ref’s lap. The second coach joined in, methodically undressing in protest. The crowd roared. The officials stood firm. The point stood. The coaches were eventually banned for three years.
The Mongolian wrestler stayed composed and congratulated the Uzbek opponent, who accepted the win with mixed emotions. In one of the strangest finishes to an Olympic bout, a medal slipped away in seconds, and the coaches’ meltdown became an unforgettable scene.