Moroccan heavyweight boxer Youness Baalla attempted to bite David Nyika’s ear during his defeat to the New Zealander at the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday.
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The 22-year-old was subsequently disqualified for unsportsmanlike behaviour, although he was already out of the Games anyway following his unanimous-points loss in the round-of-16 bout.
A Tokyo 2020 statement called Baalla’s actions “intolerable”, saying that he “very clearly intended to bite the ear/face of his opponent in the third round of the bout”.
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Footage shows Baalla trying to bite Nyika’s right ear as the two boxers hold each other.
In post-match comments, Nyika remarked to the press: “Did you see that? I don’t think the ref saw it. She was the closest one. He didn’t get a full mouthful. Luckily he had his mouthguard in and I was a bit sweaty.
“I don’t remember what I said to him but I gave him a little bit of a cheek. I have been bitten once on the chest before at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. But c’mon man, this is the Olympics.”
©ControlTV2021.
