Thousands join a petition to restore justice for Mihran Harutyunyan unjustly deprived of gold medal
More than 7 thousand people have joined the petition on Change.org platform urging the Greco-Roman Federation and the United World wrestling to restore justice and give the Olympic gold to representative of the Armenian Greco-Roman wrestler Mihran Harutyunyan.
To remind, on August 16 Armenia's Greco-Roman wrestling team member Mihran Harutyunyan became a silver medalist of the 31st Summer Olympic Games in the fight with Serb Davor Stefanek, which ended 1-1. Harutyunyan was in the lead for most of the competition. However, the referees gave the victory to Stefanek who was given a controversial point the last.
The petition, launched on Change.org, specifically reads: In 2016, on August 16, the 31th, at the Rio Olympics, during the bout with Davor Shtefaneki, the Armenian wrestler Mihran Harutyunyan was deprived of the Olympic gold because of the referee's inequity. This is a disgrace for the Greco-Roman wrestling and the whole world witnessed who the real champion is. The injustice can cause the talented athlete to leave the big sport. Is honorable for the Rio Olympics and United World Wrestling?
We call on the various international sports federations, the Greco-Roman Federation and the United World wrestling to pursue this issue and restore justice. Every single injustice in sports overshadows the whole Olympics. Rio Olympic organizers must join this claim as well and take steps to restore justice in sports, in this case - in the whole Olympics.”
The decision of the referees has sparked an outrage and debate among Internet users as well calling on the leadership of Armenian sport federations to appeal the decision.