Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Second Olympics featuring women's wrestling; multiple medals later reallocated.
Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics took place from August 12 to 21 at the China Agricultural University Gymnasium in Beijing. The competition was divided into freestyle and Greco-Roman disciplines, each with multiple weight classes. Men competed in both styles, while women participated only in freestyle events. A total of 18 gold medals were awarded, marking the second Olympic Games to feature women's wrestling.
Several medalists were later disqualified due to doping violations. In men's freestyle, Vasyl Fedoryshyn (Ukraine) lost his silver medal in the 60 kg category, Soslan Tigiev (Uzbekistan) lost his silver at 74 kg, Taimuraz Tigiyev (Kazakhstan) lost his silver at 96 kg, and Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan) was stripped of his gold at 120 kg. All disqualifications occurred in 2016 after failed anti-doping retests, and medals were reallocated by United World Wrestling.
In men's Greco-Roman, Vitaliy Rahimov (Azerbaijan) lost his silver medal at 60 kg, and Khasan Baroev (Russia) lost his silver at 120 kg, both for doping violations in 2016. Asset Mambetov (Kazakhstan) was also disqualified from his bronze medal at 96 kg. Additionally, Ara Abrahamian of Sweden was disqualified by the International Olympic Committee after he placed his bronze medal on the mat to protest a judge's decision in the 84 kg event. The Court of Arbitration for Sport later criticized the sport's governing body, FILA, for failing to provide a proper appeal process, though it did not alter the medal rankings.
A total of 344 wrestlers from 59 nations competed in Beijing.
Quick Facts
- Event
- Wrestling
- Games
- 2008 Summer
- Venue
- China Agricultural University Gymnasium
- Dates
- 12–21 August 2008
- Competitors
- 344
- Nations
- 59
- Num Events
- 18
- Prev
- 2004
- Next
- 2012
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The 2008 Olympic wrestling tournament saw several medalists disqualified years later due to anti-doping retests. In men's freestyle, Vasyl Fedoryshyn (Ukraine), Soslan Tigiev (Uzbekistan), Taimuraz Tigiyev (Kazakhstan), and Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan) were stripped of their medals in 2016. In Greco-Roman, Vitaliy Rahimov (Azerbaijan), Asset Mambetov (Kazakhstan), and Khasan Baroev (Russia) also lost their medals after failing retests. United World Wrestling reallocated medals accordingly.
Reader's Guide
The 2008 wrestling competition is notable for the high number of doping disqualifications that occurred eight years later, reshaping the final medal standings. The event also featured a unique protest by Swedish Greco-Roman wrestler Ara Abrahamian, who placed his bronze medal on the mat after a disputed judge's decision. The Court of Arbitration for Sport later criticized the international wrestling federation (FILA) for not providing an adequate appeal process. This edition marked only the second time women's wrestling was included in the Olympics, continuing the sport's expansion. The tournament drew 344 athletes from 59 nations, reflecting wrestling's global reach. The reallocation of medals by United World Wrestling underscores ongoing anti-doping efforts in the sport.
Did You Know?
- This was the second Olympics with women's wrestling as an event.
- Four men's freestyle medalists were disqualified in 2016 after failing anti-doping retests.
- Ara Abrahamian of Sweden protested a judge's decision by placing his bronze medal on the mat.
- The Court of Arbitration for Sport criticized FILA for not following its own fair play rules.
More in Wrestling at the Summer Olympics 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced