Former India opener Virender Sehwag was furious at Ravi Dahiya’s semifinal opponent Nurislam Sanayev after he came to know that the Kazakhstan had bitten the Indian wrestler during their fight at the Tokyo Olympics. Dahiya, on Wednesday (August 4), had become just the second Indian wrestler after Olympian Sushil Kumar to reach the Olympics final.
Taking to social media website Twitter, Sehwag termed this act by Sanayev as ‘unfair’ and ‘disgraceful’. “How unfair is this , couldn’t hit our #RaviDahiya ‘s spirit, so bit his hand. Disgraceful Kazakh looser Nurislam Sanayev. Ghazab Ravi , bahut seena chaunda kiya aapne,” Sehwag tweeted.
How unfair is this , couldn't hit our #RaviDahiya 's spirit, so bit his hand. Disgraceful Kazakh looser Nurislam Sanayev.
Ghazab Ravi , bahut seena chaunda kiya aapne #Wrestling pic.twitter.com/KAVn1Akj7F— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) August 4, 2021
After Ravi Dahiya scripted one of the greatest comebacks on the mat, the pictures revealed the deep bite mark on his right bicep. “It was paining when Ravi returned from the mat but he was given an ice-pack and he is fine. The pain has subsided. He is fit for final, no problem at all,” a member of the Indian wrestling team’s support staff told news agency PTI.
Ravi won by fall after trailing 2-9. The bite by Sanayev reminded of the incident when Sushil Kumar was accused of biting the ear of his Kazakhstan opponent Akhzurek Tanatrov during the 2012 London Olympics semifinal.
The videos had suggested that Sushil, who was trailing 0-3 in that bout, may have bit the ear of Tanatrov, who showed the referee the blood on his ear but did not appeal against that. Sushil went on to make the final, which he lost to settle for a silver medal.
According to the rules framed by world governing body UWW, the chapter Prohibition and Illegal Holds article 48 states that wrestlers are forbidden to pull the hair, ears, genitals, pinch the skin, bite, twist fingers or toes of their opponents. The wrestlers are barred to perform actions, gestures or holds with the intention of torturing the opponent or making him suffer to force him to withdraw.
(with PTI inputs)
