Karate KO Leads To DQ In Gold Medal Match

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The Olympics are played under different rules than the UFC.

What would have qualified for a knockout victory in professional mixed martial arts instead resulted in the disqualification of the future winner in a karate gold medal match to close the sport’s Olympic debut on Saturday.

Iranian Sajad Ganjzadeh faced Saudi Arabia’s Tareg Hamedi in the men’s 75 kilogram kumite final. Karate athletes participated in individual demonstrations called kata and individual fights called kumite.

Leading the game 4-1, Hamedi kicked Ganjzadeh hard in the head, leaving the Iranian unconscious on the mat. The fight was officially over after a count of 10. Hamedi celebrated, believing he had won the gold.

He had not.

Ganjzadeh wins via hansoku

The judges conferred and disqualified Hamedi on the basis of a serious rule violation called hansoku, according to the Associated Press. According to AP, contestants are not allowed to follow through on their punches in Olympic competitions, unlike professional fights, which reward violent knockouts.

TOKYO, JAPAN - AUG 07: Team Iran's Sajad Ganjzadeh (left) gets injured as he takes on Team Saudi Arabia's Tareg Hamedi in the gold medal fight in karate kumite + 75 kg on day fifteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Nippon Budokan on August 7, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Wei Zheng / CHINASPORTS / VCG via Getty Images)

Tareg Hamedi thought he won the gold medal. Sajad Ganjzadeh learned it was his after waking up in a medical room. (Wei Zheng / VCG via Getty Images)

Ganjzadeh, who is still suffering the immediate effects of the coup de grace, was named the gold medal winner. Hamedi took home the silver after the DQ loss. According to AP, Hamedi left the carpet in tears.

“If you ask me whether I agree or not, I disagree, of course, because I like the gold medal,” Hamedi said through a translator. “But I am satisfied with the level of performance I gave and I accept their decision. I have no objection. I think I played well. That’s all I can say.”‘

“I’m sad it must have happened like this”

The two fighters appeared together at a post-fight press conference. Ganjzadeh told reporters he learned of his gold medal after regaining consciousness in a medical room.

“The last thing I remember is I was behind in scores and then this incident happened and I don’t remember much after that,” said Ganjzadeh. “And what I remember is that in the medical room I woke up and heard from the coach that I won the game. I am very happy that I got this medal. ‘but I’m sad it must have happened like this. “

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