I can't decide if this guy is courageous or idiotic. Probably a little of both. I respect his complaint. But I heard that he called the judge a "bunch of fat-sos". That doesn't really help to further the cause.

I don't think it was a smart move to protest in the manner that he did. He could have handed the medal back to the presenter instead of disrespecting the sport and Olympic ideals.

Now, he's handling it the way he's supposed to. There are official channels. You use them.
About time.

Commish,
If you work your whole life for that one moment and you truly believe it was taken away by fraud, cheating or whatever and they do not review the call as they are suppose to you would be pissed too. I do not agree with the way that he handled it. But sometimes corruption is so bad that it takes a shock to the system to make it change. Who are these judges to sit on their fat as*** and spit on someone life work. I do not knew if he won or loss and I do not think it matters. He and his work was disrespected in the most offensive way. He was denied due process that should be availible to him and every other wrestler. He made his shocking gesture and now he is handling it through the proper channels.

like a past poster said,,,hand the medal back, not throw it on the ground. that's showing disrespect to the sport the he loves...

Afghanistan won its first medal ever in this Olympic games, and it was a bronze. There are countries who still have never won a medal in the Olympics, and some who can't even get an athlete into the Olympics. This guy's throwing a medal on the ground like it's nothing.
No matter the circumstances, he's acted like a two year old and no one should condone that. Props for trying to go through official channels, but don't throw away an Olympic medal. Most of the world will never know what it feels like to stand on that podium. This guy just spit on everyone that has that dream, but will never have it come true.

better content! GO Google!
http://news.google.com/nwshp?tab=wn&ned=us&topic=o

o0brian.elliott0o - I'm guessing he spit on your olympic dream too? If you had half a brain you would know that competition breeds emotion and emotion breeds action for the better or worse.
I would guess that a sport like wrestling brings sooooo much energy to a competitor thats its hard to NOT To ACT like a 2 year old, esp when you feel OUTSIDE factors influenced the results.
But I guess Brian , as an olympic hopeful and an competitor, you would understand all of that.....

Ohhhh, How does corrupt officiating not disrespect the sport more than his actions?

FILA won't even consider the complaint? This is a "political" act? Asking for a free Tibet is political; filing and complaining till heard about corrupt officiating is proper, if you are disregarded because of your race or origin or nationality or for whatever immoral reason, then a demonstration is the only way the world will pay attention. If he cannot be heard because of corruption, then it is they on FILA's board who are not honoring the Olympic ideals. Shame on them. Ghandi says that if the system is corrupt, you must take self-sacrificing steps to non-violently make it difficult for the system to continue. Abrahamian sacrificed his metal, (from what I can tell, he placed it dead center on the mat: this is not a tantrum, but a silent statement) . And if FILA knows they control the arbitration process arbitrarily, watch to see his name being smeared, rather than the arbitration process being held up to the light of day. That'll be proof to me. Is giving his metal up enough sacrifice for any one athlete who seeks fair play? I think so. Now how will we help put pressure to help him serve the sport and humanity in the process? I think fair play is a little bit higher on the rung of Olympic distinction than some of it's other attributes. It may be the highest.
Let's not forget that doing this correctly shows China how to treat free speech as well.

JR....I am in total Agreeance wit you and Cold not have said it better myself.

JR....I am in total Agreeance with you and Could not have said it better myself.

Typo alert: seminfinal.

whne you are from a free country like Sweden, you are used to openly saying waht you feel. I know the chi-nee are too afraid to speekee there mind-ee , but maybe this athlete has a point.
I dont think it was wise to did what he did with medal, but I am unworthy to judge him and his emotions, I did notspend 8 years of my life doing what he did.
I will watch the rewsults, and I wish him luck.
Have you all forgotten the skater couple in the Olympics who won a gold medal, but had to fight corrupt judging?...
I am sure there will charges after these Olympics are over too. How does a landinging on knees win over a clean landing? There is some strange things going on in China, yet the USA girls still did quite well.

uh.....I saw the match did you?....I am no expert, and I am not from sweden...so you can not acuse of USA whining...
There is some big time bs going on in china..this Wrestler could have won gold, but due to the penalty..BAM@@!@!! 8yrs
of effort gone. how would you feel?.....there is strange thiong happeing in china.
..and I am not even talking about the 2 old ladies they threw in jail for a year for asking "why did you take my life long home to make room for Olympics.
look it up....two old ladies, 77 and 78 years old, are being sent to jail for simpy requesting an anwser to why their lifelong homes were taken away...these ladies were only asking why..and BAM..to jail you go...this is china!!!! you shut up or we toss you in jail...you obey or to jail you go!!

Disgusting behavior from the Swede. He is an embarrassment to his country. Most athletes would love to have any Olympic medal.

You have to understand the emotions that an athlete who has trained so long and hard only to have it taken away from you on something so trivial. I understand his rant, most of you may not but I do. I was one of the US athletes who did not get to go to the 1980 games because our president decided to boycott the Mosco games because of what was going on between them and Afghanistan(sp). I was very upset because we had all trained for that one moment and then to have it taken away. It is very frustrating. So maybe his giving the medal back was his way of venting that same frustration. I would rather have gotten beat outright than to have it taken away from me like that. I feel the same way about most of the judging during the gymnastics. It was very unfair to everyone but China.

it not just about getting a medal "j700304" when you know you did better than you were judged.

I hope they look into this. Though the guy did the wrong thing by throwing his medal away, I respect anyone who is willing to take a stand.

That was a shocker, especially from him. But since coming from him I BELIEVE there was an injustice that took place. I am going to have my staff review whole incident and arard ceremony to make proper decision. I know Ara personally, he is a man of great integrity and pride. He would not put himself and country in spot light unless he truly believed he need to act upon his feelings, I am not saying that his country is behind him, nor that he was right- but do believe he thinks it was very worht while to act in such a shocing manner. As with all sports that have judges, refs and score keepers mstakes can and will happen, but to not review to insure the correct outcome is achieved is rediculous at any level not jsut at the pinnicle of the persons career................
Yes changes are needed but all please remember, these are not the world championships- these are the Olympics and are about brotherhood...............

"Ara Abrahamian" never was and never will be a Swede. Someone just gave him a passport.

Jamaican Sprinters
the jamaican sprinters are so juiced up they cant even look people in the eye!

He had every right to be infuriated he should have won the match. The judging in these Olympics are terrible. Have any of you been watching boxing. Does the Roy Jones screw job come to mind. Its the judges not the athletes who are destroying the credibility of these Olympics!!!