Tokyo (AFP)
Moroccan boxer Youness Baalla (-91 kg) was disqualified from the Tokyo Olympic tournament on Tuesday for trying to bite his opponent in the ear during a heavyweight fight.
During the third round, Baalla, 22, approached his open mouth to New Zealander David Nyika's left ear while holding him with his arms, much like Mike Tyson in the famous 1997 fight against Evander. Holyfield.
But Nyika managed to dodge.
The Sri Lankan referee and the five judges did not realize anything during the match, won by the New Zealander by unanimous decision.
It was only after the fact that the organizers notified the illegal action.
"(Balla) clearly intended to bite his rival's ear or face in the third round," the IOC Boxing Task Force (BTF) said in a statement.
The Moroccan boxer was "disqualified for his intolerable action".
Nyika later put the significance of the incident into perspective in an Instagram post.
“Out of the heat of battle the best and the worst people can come out. It's part of sport,” he wrote.
"I have respect for my opponent and can understand the frustration he felt. Please don't contact him if you have nothing good to say to him," he added. .
© 2021 AFP