A Russian wrestler says he is returning his Olympic gold medal in protest of the International Olympic Committee's decision to drop his sport from the Olympic program.
Sagid Murtazaliyev told Russian television late Tuesday that giving the medal back was a "tough decision" but he hopes it might move Olympic officials to see "common sense."
Murtazaliyev, 38, who won gold in the 97-kilogram freestyle class at the 2000 Sydney Games, followed the example of Bulgarian wrestler Valentin Yordanov, who last week said he would hand his medal back to the International Olympic Committee in protest.
(AP)
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