'Shock': Black athlete's world record attempt deliberately sabotaged! Spotter placed knee under 334kg barbell... then claimed, "I am a racist"

*This content was translated by AI.

A spotter who intentionally sabotaged a black athlete's world record attempt at the Powerlifting World Championships and made racist remarks has been banned for life and is now under police investigation.

According to Britain's 'The Sun' on the 7th (Korean time), Ernestas Kuzinas, who served as a spotter during the match of Belgian national team member Sonia Mulu at the '2026 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Championships' held in Lithuania last June, was found to have engaged in deliberate sabotage and racist remarks, sparking major controversy.

The incident occurred while Mulu was attempting a world record squat of 334.5kg. Kuzinas, who should have been responsible for the athlete's safety, pushed his knee under the barbell, leading the judges to rule it as illegal contact and invalidate Mulu's record attempt.

Initially, the act was considered a simple mistake, with even the victim, Mulu, defending him. However, the situation took a turn when Kuzinas later posted a comment online stating, "I am a racist and I hate trash like you; I did it on purpose," revealing his true intentions.

Upon learning of the incident, the Lithuanian Powerlifting Federation immediately issued a lifetime ban to Kuzinas and reported him to the police. An investigation is currently underway, and if hate speech charges are upheld under local law, he could face a maximum prison sentence of two years.

As the controversy spread, Kuzinas attempted to deny responsibility. He explained that the controversial comment was made in a fit of anger to mock those who accused him of being racist. He also claimed he was suffering from accumulated fatigue at the time and pointed out that he had committed similar mistakes during a match involving a white Swedish athlete, denying any intent. He has since switched his social media (SNS) account to private.

However, public criticism shows no sign of subsiding. Deeply shaken by the incident, Mulu said, "I have experienced numerous acts of racism, but this is the first time it happened in such a manner," and expressed her trauma, stating, "From now on, I will even suspect the spotters who are supposed to protect my safety."

The IPF also issued an official statement declaring, "We unequivocally condemn any form of racism or hate behavior, which can never be tolerated within the powerlifting community."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.