Turkish wrestler caught cheating during draw
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John Fuller (USA Wrestling)
08/10/2005
Izmir, Turkey - Turkish wrestler, Hakan Koz, a men's freestyle wrestler competing at 96 kg/211.5 lbs., was caught by opposing coaches during the weigh-in and draw attempting to cheat to receive a better draw at the 2005 World University Games. After stepping on the scale and receiving confirmation of having made weight, wrestlers are then supposed to draw a random number out of a hat. That number then confirms the wrestler's spot in the bracket. Koz was the last wrestler to weigh-in at his weight class. As he approached the scale, coaches from Japan began yelling for officials to check his hands. Koz appeared to have tucked something between his thumb and index finger on his left hand. The coaches from Japan were suspicious after 60 kg/132 lbs. Turkish wrestler Odabasi Tevfik was the last wrestler to weigh-in and received draw number 1. He then rubbed his hands inside his singlet and showed that his hands were empty after that as a crowd began to form. The Japanese coaches followed Koz, however, until the draw number fell out of his singlet, which was loose fitting. The number Koz had in his hand was 58. FILA officials monitoring the weigh-in asked Koz to come back to the weigh-in area and draw a new number out of the hat. That new number was 33. Officials also asked Tevfik to draw a new number. He drew 41. FILA officials present at the weigh-in had no comment.