Minguzzi gets gold amid protests

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Video - Minguzzi wins 84kg wrestling gold

Italy's Andrea Minguzzi won the 84kg wrestling gold medal on Thursday amid controversy within the weight division.

Minguzzi beat Hungarian Zoltan Fodor in the final after eliminating world and Olympic champion Aleksey Mishin of Russia in an earlier round.

But Ara Abrahamian refused to accept his bronze medal in protest at his semi-final defeat to Minguzzi, upset with the decision of the judges.

"It's all politics," said the Swede's coach, Leo Myllari.

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Video - Abrahamian refuses bronze medal

Minguzzi, a policeman from Imola, and Fodor began cautiously in the final, with the first two rounds ending even.

But then Minguzzi scored a throw late on to bag the title, winning 1-1 1-1 4-0.

Abrahamian, who came back strongly in the repechage after his elimination by Minguzzi, took centre stage at the medal ceremony.

After grudgingly climbing the podium, he took the bronze from around his neck before dropping it in the middle of the wrestling ring and walking off.

606: DEBATE Was Abrahamian right to be angry?

Earlier, the Swede had to be restrained by team-mates as a row erupted with the judges over the decision of the semi-final.

Swedish fans booed as the judges left the arena, although coach Myllari did not say if he intended to lodge a formal protest over the decision by referee Jean-Marc Petoud of Switzerland, judge Lee Ronald Mackay of Canada, and mat chairman Guillermo Orestes Molina of Cuba.

Abrahamian's bronze medal was later returned to the sport's governing body. Turkey's Nazmi Avluca took the other bronze.