Ugandan super-heavyweight boxer Aziz Abdul was disqualified in the third round of his Commonwealth Games quarter-final match in Glasgow after headbutting England's Damar Thomas during a clinch.
The 25-year-old fighter, who is the grandson of former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, was trailing on all judges' scorecards before the stoppage.
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The referee halted the bout after Abdul repeatedly drove his head into Thomas's chin, following earlier point deductions for punching on the break.
The decision automatically propelled Thomas into the semi-finals of the 90kg+ super-heavyweight division, guaranteeing him at least a bronze medal, while denying Uganda its first Commonwealth boxing medal since 1990.
Abdul's Reaction
Following the fight, Abdul expressed dissatisfaction with the officiating, accusing the referee of unfair bias during the match.
"When you watch the previous fights of England their boxers create a lot of fouls," Abdul said. "I land a heavy punch on him, they never count.
Instead of counting they deduct me. I am black African.
He is in homeland."
He further denied that the physical contact was deliberate, maintaining that he was attempting a comeback late in the fight.
"All I can say about this is the decision is not right, I am not happy," Abdul said.
"He elbowed me. He caught me with the elbow.
It [the head movement] was not intentional. I was trying to come back.
How can I headbutt someone? I would not.
He was the person they wanted to win. He was the winner before.
