Olympic boxing drama as Team GB’s Clarke into semi after rival disqualified for head clash before 45-min sitdown protest

BLOODIED Frazer Clarke made it five Olympic medals for Team GB boxing but his furious French opponent staged a remarkable sitdown protest.

And the angry French camp accused “disgusting” Olympic officials of sabotaging the dreams of defeated Mourad Aliev in Tokyo.

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Aliev Mourad was done for excessive use of his head[/caption]

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Frazer Clarke takes a bow after progressing to the semi-final of the men’s super-heavyweight competition[/caption]

AFP

Mourad was fuming and refused to leave[/caption]

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The Frenchman staged a sitdown protest[/caption]

Clarke, 29, reached the men’s super-heavyweight semi-finals to guarantee himself at least a bronze.

It is Britain’s fifth medal in the ring – equalling the post-war record from London 2012 – and there are possibly two more to come with Galal Yafai and Caroline Dubois.

Burton fighter Clarke was cut badly above both eyes and there were concerns he may struggle to continue for much longer.

But the bout was stopped four seconds before the end of the second round as Aliev was disqualified for excessive use of his head – even though there was no obvious Glasgow Kiss.

Shellshocked Ilev, 26, started wagging his finger, attacked a camera, spat out and kicked his gum shield and argued with officials over the decision.

For more than 45 minutes he stayed on the edge of the ring in protest, refusing to budge despite repeated demands from officials.

I told him to calm down at the end.

Frazer Clarke on his opponent

Clarke, who now fights Uzbekistan’s Bakhodir Jalolov in the semis, said: “It’s not the way I wanted to win my bronze medal or guarantee it.

“I felt there was a couple of heads going in there if I am honest. Whether it was intentional or not, I don’t know.

“Once he calms down, I’ll go shake his hand again and wish him all the best for the future.

“I told him to calm down at the end. I have been in these situations myself.

“Often you aren’t thinking with your head, thinking with your heart and your emotions.

“The last thing I’d have wanted him to do is damage his reputation or be rude to the judges and officials. They are just doing their jobs.

“It is not something we see very often in amateur boxing. This sport is all about respect.

“I’m sure he will be angry with himself for the way he is acting now.

“I understand he is upset. For the sake of himself and his federation, I’d advise him to get off the ring, go back. These things happen.”

“Normally, you get three warnings for use of the head before you are disqualified – I was disqualified on the first.

Mourad Aliev

Moscow-born Ilev was gobsmacked to be kicked out, saying: “Normally, you get three warnings for use of the head before you are disqualified – I was disqualified on the first.

“When the Englishman was cut in the first round and went to a neutral corner for treatment, there was no warning.

“I stayed out there to send a message to the world. This is my dream, my life, and I have worked for four years to prepare for the Olympics.

“And it has been taken away from me by something nobody can explain to me.”

French head coach John Dovi said: “If it was not that use of head, they would have found something else.

“Or another bogus thing in order to disqualify Mourad. They decided to make an example out of him. It is disgusting, disgusting. It is terrible.

“We had the most competitive team we have ever had.

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“We had the potential for medals. But there was always something. It seemed like they really did not want France to win a medal in boxing.”

Before Clarke’s dramatic fight, Benjamin Whittaker overcame Russian Olympic Committee fighter Imam Khataev to move into the final of the men’s light heavyweight final.

And Pat McCormack received a walkover in his semi-final as Irishman Aidan Walsh pulled out with an ankle injury sustained from JUMPING FOR JOY in the ring after his quarter-final win.

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Mourad Aliev was gutted[/caption]

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Clarke was cut above both eyes[/caption]