How a rejected bribe and a refereeing scandal shook the wrestling mat

History · Published 6 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: At the 2024 Paris Olympics, wrestling proved to be more than just a test of strength. Between Mijaín López’s historic fifth gold and a controversial $300,000 bribery attempt in Baku, the mats saw intense drama that extended far beyond the physical bouts.

The wrestling competitions at the 2024 Summer Olympics took place from 5 to 11 August at the Grand Palais Éphémère. A total of 288 athletes competed across 18 weight categories. While men competed in both freestyle and Greco-Roman events, the women's competition was limited to freestyle only. Amidst this high-stakes environment, Mijaín López achieved a feat never before seen in modern Olympic history, becoming the first and only athlete to secure five consecutive gold medals in the same individual event.

The path to Paris was fraught with complexity and controversy. Qualification began at the 2023 World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, where five spots per weight class were awarded. This was followed by continental tournaments and the 2024 World Qualification Tournament. However, the road was marred by a scandal during the European Qualification Tournament in Baku, Azerbaijan. Frank Chamizo, an Italian wrestler, claimed he rejected a $300,000 bribe intended to ensure his defeat against Azerbaijan's Turan Bayramov.

The fallout from the Baku incident highlighted systemic vulnerabilities. Although Chamizo refused the bribe, a controversial refereeing decision awarded the win to Bayramov on criteria. Subsequent independent panels ruled the bout was scored incorrectly, leading the UWW to suspend the officiating body. However, due to existing policy, the official result could not be overturned. Chamizo eventually secured his Olympic spot through ranking redistribution after spots were denied to athletes from Russia and Belarus.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• How the Olympic wrestling tournament structure ensures two bronze medals are awarded per weight class
• Why the World Wrestling Championships have a complicated history of official and unofficial titles
• The International Boxing Association became the first federation ever expelled from the Olympic movement.
• Aleksandr Medved: The legendary wrestler who dominated the mat for three consecutive Olympic cycles
• Why the world's greatest freestyle wrestler recited poetry before every single match
• How Wu-Tang Clan defied industry norms to dominate the charts with a double album
• How a boxing legend and a broken superstar defined a wrestling era
• The title that ended an era of 'Divas'
• The night a 60-minute wrestling match was forced to have a winner
• The one-time event born from a scrapped revival and a legal hurdle
• The final time a wrestling spectacle filled a traditional arena
• A 28-year reign and a title thrown into a trash can

More in Born on this day · More in History · Latest · A–Z · All topics