Georgian Judo star Guram Tushishvili has been disqualified from the men’s 100kg judo event at the 2024 Olympics after lashing out at France’s Teddy Riner. Tushishvili reacted badly to the home favourite’s winning move in their quarter-final, kicking out at his crotch, holding his head onto the canvas and pushing him to the ground with his hip.
Boos rang out at the Champ de Mars Arena as officials handed the 29-year-old a red card for his bizarre unsportsmanlike actions.
After Riner was announced as the winner, the pair still performed their traditional bows and shook hands while exchanging further words.
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Dutch commentators from NOS blasted Tushishvili’s behaviour as ‘scandalous’. Immediately after the scenes, it was confirmed that he had been disqualified from competing for bronze.
A statement from the International Judo Federation read: “Following the incident that took place at the end of the quarter-final between Teddy Riner (FRA) and Guram Tushishvili (GEO) in the +100 kg weight category, the behaviour of the Georgian judoka was against the ‘spirit of judo,’ an ad hoc disciplinary commission was called immediately together to investigate the situation.
“The following decisions were taken: Guram Tushishvili is suspended from the individual competition and will not be allowed to compete in the repechage.
“Guram Tushishvili is suspended from participating in the mixed team event to be held on 3rd August 2024.
“Guram Tushishvili is suspended from participating in any international judo competition until the IJF Disciplinary Commission meets to give a final decision.
“Further investigations will be conducted to determine what happened. The Georgian delegation and the athletes were informed of the decisions.”
French Olympic Judoka Frederique Jossinet reacted: “In judo, values, respect for the opponent and the winner are very important.
“His reaction was pitiful and not in keeping with the values of judo. He got ‘hansoku-make’, a disqualification. You can’t have a reaction like that. This is not judo.
“It’s a bit of testosterone. It was a very tense match, a quarter that could have been a semi-final or a final.
“The Georgian is a very hotheaded person, he’s a big character, and it’s not the first time it’s happened like that.”
Riner – a gold medallist at London 2012 and Rio 2016 – went on to win his third gold to spark incredible scenes among the joyous home supporters.
The 35-year-old beat Tajikistan’s Temu Rakhimov in the semi-finals before conquering South Korean world champion in the final.