Police Investigate Sore Loser Wrestler After Cheap Shot Breaks Opponent's Nose During Handshake
Police in Illinois are investigating after a teenage wrestler sucker-punched his opponent after he lost a match earlier this month.
According to TMZ Sports, two eighth graders faced off on the mat during an April 8 tournament in Oak Park, Illinois.
The wrestler who walked away with a 14-2 win turned to his opponent and reached out his hand in a gesture of goodwill.
Instead of being met with a handshake, he was punched in the face, suffered a broken nose, and fell to the mat.
Video of the incident shows a sickening cheap shot, which is the epitome of poor sportsmanship and a complete lack of class:
Hafid Alicea of Maine West (IL) throws a sucker punch at the line… #wtf pic.twitter.com/9m4HAxl2oF
— The Wrestling Room (Pat Mineo) (@MrPatMineo) April 14, 2023
The kid’s actions were pretty much universally condemned online, which is perhaps the only positive takeaway from the altercation.
“Charge him with assault. No place for that in our sport,” one Twitter user said.
Charge him with assault. No place for that in our sport.
— /G\ Aequitassancti (@Aequitassancti) April 15, 2023
“He should be off the team permanently. Absolutely vile and disgusting behavior unbefitting an athlete of any age,” another wrote.
He should be off the team permanently. Absolutely vile and disgusting behavior unbefitting an athlete of any age. https://t.co/0lipS07mWv
— Truth is Freedom 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 GOD FAMILY COUNTRY (@FreeUs551) April 19, 2023
This is disgraceful.
— Rooney McGillicutty (@RooneyMcGilli) April 19, 2023
Should be banned from the sport for life
— Jake Heinrich (@JAKEHEINRICH1) April 14, 2023
The aggressor is under police investigation.
WFLD-TV reported that police were called to the school immediately after the hit.
At the time, the parents of the victim asked officers to document what happened but did not wish to take any legal action, but they are now pursuing criminal charges.
It is not surprising in the slightest to see such a poor display of sportsmanship in an eighth-grade wrestling match.
The violence in our country is so out of control we couldn’t even get through last year’s Academy Awards without an assault.
Just last month, Jamirah Shutes with the University of Memphis women’s basketball team was charged with assault after an ugly incident in a handshake line.
After her team lost to Bowling Green State University in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament, video showed her striking Bowling Green guard Elissa Brett.
BGSU women’s basketball moving on to the final 8 of the WNIT after beating Memphis — but this will steal the headlines unfortunately.
Ugly, ugly scene in the handshake line. A Memphis player punched Elissa Brett. Just brutal. pic.twitter.com/2hptXYBEtj
— Jordan Strack (@JordanStrack) March 24, 2023
Shutes has pleaded not guilty.
Golden State Warriors center Draymond Green is suspended for Thursday’s Game 3 against the Sacramento Kings in their opening-round NBA playoff series.
Green, who is no stranger to altercations on the court, stepped on the chest of Kings center Domantas Sabonis during Game 2 on Monday.
Sabonis is down after Draymond stepped on him. pic.twitter.com/6MwsNLT2Pj
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 18, 2023
Kids today have grown up watching too many adult athletes who don’t respect each other, their sport or fans.
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