TEHRAN – Iranian wrestler Rahman Amouzad Khalili criticized his American rival after he refused to shake hand with him in the Freestyle Cadet World in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The Iranian wrestler met Stevo Ross Poulin in the competition’s semifinals and defeated him 12-0.

Khalili also defeated Kamronbek Kadamov from Uzbekistan in the 48kg bracket to win the title.  

“It's important to teach our wrestlers how to show good sportsmanship. I wanted to shake hand with him at the start of the second time but he refused to shake with me. Before the start of the match, he bragged that he was sure of victory. And I taught him sportsmanship after the end of the match,” Amouzad Khalili said.

“I defeated him in a way he will bear in mind for the rest of his life. My role model is Gholamreza Takhti who is famous for his chivalrous behavior. Hassan Yazdani also is a role model for me because he displays great sportsmanship when he meets his rivals,” he added.