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FILA POSTPONES TURKISH WRESTLER'S SUSPENSION
Xinhua General News Service, China
August 14, 2013 Wednesday 5:10 AM EST
ANKARA Aug. 14
Wrestling's governing body (FILA) has delayed Turkey's Riza Kayaalp's
suspension for racism, announcing that the case will be reviewed
after next month's World Championships, Turkish media reported Tuesday.
Turkish wrestler Kayaalp had targetted Greeks and Armenians in his
tweets posted during the Gezi Park unrest in Turkey. He advocated
that "Armenians" were at the root of the Gezi protests in a series
of tweets he later deleted.
Kayaalp was handed a six-month ban by FILA earlier this month, but
the Turkish Wrestling Federation (TGF) appealed the decision. FILA
then ruled to postpone the case, opting to review the case against
the former world and European champion athlete's anti-Armenian tweets.
A day earlier, TGF Chairman Hamza Yerlikaya defended Kayaalp, calling
the ban, which barred him from next month's World Championships, was
"unlawful" and vowed to take the issue to Court of Arbitration for
Sport (CAS) if their appeal to FILA was not successful.
Xinhua General News Service, China
August 14, 2013 Wednesday 5:10 AM EST
ANKARA Aug. 14
Wrestling's governing body (FILA) has delayed Turkey's Riza Kayaalp's
suspension for racism, announcing that the case will be reviewed
after next month's World Championships, Turkish media reported Tuesday.
Turkish wrestler Kayaalp had targetted Greeks and Armenians in his
tweets posted during the Gezi Park unrest in Turkey. He advocated
that "Armenians" were at the root of the Gezi protests in a series
of tweets he later deleted.
Kayaalp was handed a six-month ban by FILA earlier this month, but
the Turkish Wrestling Federation (TGF) appealed the decision. FILA
then ruled to postpone the case, opting to review the case against
the former world and European champion athlete's anti-Armenian tweets.
A day earlier, TGF Chairman Hamza Yerlikaya defended Kayaalp, calling
the ban, which barred him from next month's World Championships, was
"unlawful" and vowed to take the issue to Court of Arbitration for
Sport (CAS) if their appeal to FILA was not successful.