Bulgarian wrestler gives up gold in protest of Olympic decision

Chris Chase, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

Valentin Yordanov, right, lights the Olympic torch in Sofia in 2004. credit: AFP

A Bulgarian wrestler who won gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics sent back his medal to the IOC to protest the organization's decision to remove wrestling from the Olympic program.

Valentin Yordanov made the announcement Wednesday at an emotional press conference.

"With this act I express my solidarity with the millions of athletes and fans of our sport who are condemning the recommendation of the IOC," Yordanov said, according to Reuters.

"Our sport is an integral part of the Olympic movement and one of the foundations of both the ancient and modern Olympics."

The 53-year-old is the president of the Bulgarian wrestling federation and won an unprecedented 10 world championship medals during his career.

Yordanov managed some sarcastic praise of IOC president Jacque Rogges, who he said is the only man to unite Iran, Russia and the United States behind a single cause -- getting wrestling back in the Games.

We applaud Yordanov's passion and fully support his cause. We only wish he had made a bigger scene with his protest.

He returned the gold medal. Okay. That's nice and all, but what's the IOC going to do with it? Throw it in the Swiss vault with USA basketball's silver medals from 1972?

Get a photo op, Valentin. Burn the medal down and make it into a Mr. T necklace. Half-nelson it. Toss it into Lake Geneva while wearing a singlet. Throw it through the windows of IOC headquarters, with a note reading "BITE ME" rubber-banded around it. Words and gestures are great, but emotional overreactions make for much better copy.