Olympic spirit?

By Joe McAdory

Published: August 14, 2008

I’m disappointed with Swedish Olympic wrestler Ara Abrahamian. I don’t care if he felt slighted by a judge’s poor call after he lost a semifinal match. He showed extremely poor sportsmanship in throwing his bronze medal to the mat, storming off the medal podium and pouting like a 3-year-old.

He should have voiced his disappointment through the media and with Olympic officials, but stand proud on the podium and act like an Olympian instead of a loser. He set a real example for others.

Ara may have been wronged, he might have been the best wrestler in his weight class and deserved a gold medal, but a big part of sportsmanship is grace in defeat regardless of the circumstances. Maybe in four years he will win the gold and stand like a champion.