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The 74kg competition at the 2024 European Wrestling Qualifiers in Baku ended in a major scandal when one of the semi-finalists, Italy's Frank Chamizo Marquez, disagreed with the judges' decisions in his deciding bout against Azerbaijan's Turan Bayramov, Inside the Games reported.

Chamizo was down 0-6 at the start of the bout, but managed to come back and in the final seconds of the fight the score was 8-8 with Bayramov leading on the criteria.  Throughout the fight, Chamizo and his team disagreed with the referee's decisions on several occasions.

In the final seconds, the referee gave the Italian two points when Bayramov put his knee to the canvas. Chamizo took the lead, but after a challenge from the Azerbaijani coach, the decision was overturned and Bayramov was awarded the win.

The former Cuban wrestler posted the video of the final seconds of the bout. "I want to apologise to whoever is watching this. My sport is beautiful. This is just a group of bribed and corrupted, my heart cries with such sadness. My sport is beautiful. My sport is beautiful. I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Chamizo wrote on his Instagram.

The Italian wrestler later told la Repubblica that Azerbaijan offered him $300,000 to lose the bout, which he categorically declined.

Chamizo still has a chance to qualify for the Olympic Games at the World Qualifiers in Istanbul, Turkey in May.