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

Este contenido ha sido traducido por IA.

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

According to Britain's 'The Sun' on the 7th (Korean time), it has emerged that Ernestas Kuzinas, who served as a spotter during the competition of Belgian national representative Soniita Mulu at the '2026 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Championships' held in Lithuania last June, engaged in deliberate sabotage and made racist comments, sparking major controversy.

The incident occurred while Mulu was attempting to break the world record in the squat with 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, it was considered a simple mistake, and even the victim, Mulu, defended 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," which sparked outrage.

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 prison sentence of up to 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 had committed similar mistakes during the competition of a white Swedish athlete, denying any intent. He has since set his social media (SNS) account to private.

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

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

© STARNEWS. Todos los derechos reservados. Prohibida su reproducción

Este contenido ha sido traducido por IA.