Boxer Abdul - grandson of dictator - disqualified for headbutt

What the report says

BBC Sport reported that Ugandan super-heavyweight boxer Aziz Abdul, a grandson of former Ugandan ruler Idi Amin, was disqualified at the Commonwealth Games after officials ruled he headbutted England’s Damar Thomas during their bout. The incident occurred as the fighters grappled in the third round. Abdul, 25, had already received warnings in the first two rounds and was behind on every judges’ scorecard, according to the BBC.

After the decision, Abdul said he believed he had been treated unfairly and claimed racism was a factor, saying judges were against him because he is a “black African.” While responding to BBC Sport, he also referred to Thomas with a racial slur. Abdul denied the head movement was deliberate and said Thomas had caught him with an elbow.

Commonwealth Sport president Donald Rukare, who is also Ugandan, rejected Abdul’s racism claim, saying the organization believes athletes are treated fairly and without discrimination. Rukare described the disqualification as a field-of-play decision and suggested Abdul’s remarks may be addressed through Ugandan team procedures and its code of conduct.

Thomas, who advanced and is guaranteed at least a bronze medal, said the manner of victory was not how he wanted the fight to end, but that he would focus on his next contest. The BBC noted Abdul had been seeking Uganda’s first Commonwealth boxing medal since 1990. The report also placed Abdul’s family background in context, noting Amin’s brutal rule after taking power in 1971 and his self-styled “King of Scotland” title, which Abdul had referenced before the bout.