Powerlifting assistant banned for life after racist comments, interfering with Black athlete

A powerlifting competition in Lithuania turned contentious when an assistant appeared to deliberately obstruct a Black athlete's record attempt. Sonita Muluh, representing Belgium, was challenging a 334.5kg squat when an assistant, Ernostas Kušinas, placed his knee under the barbell, invalidating the lift.

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I am a racist and I did it on purpose.

Initially, Muluh believed the incident was accidental and even defended Kušinas online. However, the situation escalated when Kušinas allegedly posted comments online stating, "I am a racist and I did it on purpose." This prompted the Lithuanian Powerlifting Federation to report the incident to the police and issue Kušinas a lifetime ban from competition.

Kušinas later claimed his online comments were made in anger to mock those accusing him of racism and that the interference during the lift was unintentional due to fatigue. Muluh, however, voiced concerns about future safety and trust in event staff, stating she had experienced various forms of racism but never in this manner.

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I have experienced various forms of racism, but this is the first time in this way.

The International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) condemned the alleged actions, stating that racism, discrimination, and hate speech are unacceptable within the powerlifting community. The incident is under police investigation, with potential penalties in Lithuania including up to two years in prison for hate speech.

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We unequivocally condemn racism, discrimination, and hate speech in any form.