Wrestler Deepak Punia’s foreign coach Murad Gaidarov, a 2008 Beijing Olympics silver medalist, has had his accreditation cancelled by the International Olympic Committee after he “physically assaulted” a referee, officials said on Friday.
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Secretary-General Rajeev Mehta confirmed that there was a complaint made against the coach and they have got the email from IOC about his accreditation termination.
"After the bout, Deepak's coach yelled at the referee. A complaint was filed into the international body, later the international body wrote to IOC and now IOC has taken action against him," Rajeev Mehta said.
Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh confirmed the issue and said the federation could have faced a ban from the international body for the coach's behaviour. “We have somehow been let off during the disciplinary hearing, or else we could have faced a ban. It was very serious,” he said.
Gaidarov has been guiding Deepak for some time now after the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) assigned him to train the 2018 junior world champion.
Gaidarov, 42, had won a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, representing Belarus.
He was disqualified from the 2004 Olympic Games when he assaulted his opponent outside the arena after losing his quarterfinal bout.
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IOC has immediately revoked Gaidarov's recognition and has also informed India about this. Gaidarov is asked to leave the game village immediately. An Indian official in Tokyo said that we have received the letter from the IOC. This is serious indiscipline.