Swedish wrestler Ara Abrahamian faces an International Olympic Committee (IOC) disciplinary hearing after he threw away the bronze medal he had won and announced his retirement having earlier had to be restrained from physically attacking officials.

 

The 33-year-old Armenian-born Abrahamian was angry after losing a 3-1 decision to Italy's Andrea Minguzzi in the 84-kiolgram Greco-Roman semi-final at the Chinese Agricultural University Gym.

 

He said: "I think the semi-final shows that FILA [wrestling's world governing body] does not play fair.

 

"I didn't deserve to lose.

 

"The system is corrupt."

Swedish coach said: "It's all political."

The match had featured a Swiss referee, a Cuban mat chairman and Canadian judge.

Abrahamian, a silver medallist in Athens four years ago, at first refused to take part in the bronze medal play-off but was persuaded by his friends to take part.

He said: "I decided I had come this far and I could not let them down.

"So I decided to wrestle…I don't care about this medal."

Earlier during the Olympics, there had been complaints about the juding in boxing, diving and shooting.

Meanwhile, the US continued to claim that China's first-ever Olympic victory in the women's team event was achieved with the help of three gymnasts who were underaged.

The gymnasts He Kexin, Yang Yilin and Jiang are alleged to be below the age of 16 by the US national coach Martha Karolyi.

Karolyi suggested that one of the gymnasts had "milk teeth".

She said: "We can't prove it."

According to some official records, Kexin, China's uneven bars specialist was listed as being 14 this year.

Now, however, she is listed as 16.

Kexin was even asked how she celebrated her 15th birthday.

Kexin refuted the allegations and maintained she was 16.

China's coach, Lu Shanzhen, however, took on the Americans saying that they were just "'upset with the loss".