this post was submitted on 02 Aug 2026
212 points (99.5% liked)

World News

2318 readers
737 users here now

Rules:
Be a decent person.
No racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, zionism/nazism, and so on.

Other Great Communities:

Rules

Be excellent to each other

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Belgian powerlifter Sonita Muluh has fallen victim to sabotage by a Lithuanian staff member during the World Championships Powerlifting in June.

The man, who was a spotter for Muluh during her attempt to squat 334 kilograms, placed his knee under the weights, causing an incomplete motion and a failed attempt. Spotters are only allowed to touch the weights if the athlete can no longer support them.

Muluh's coach pleaded to get her one more attempt to squat the weights, but the judges were unrelenting, and Muluh saw her hopes at a second world title disappear.

Footage of the apparent mistake was published and spread in the powerlifting community until people noticed a remarkable comment. Ernestas Kusinas responded to a video from an American influencer by saying, "I'm racist, and I did it on purpose, because I hate you pieces of sh*t."

It was quickly figured out that Kusinas was the spotter that has caused the failed attempt. His admission to sabotage saw him receive a lifetime ban from any competitions from the Lithuanian association.

Muluh took to social media to air her frustrations and anger. "I have dealt with racism in numerous ways but never in this manner," she posted with a video showing the spotter sabotaging her attempt and his comment admitting guilt.

top 34 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] frongt@lemmy.zip 85 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Nothing says racial superiority like having to sabotage someone

[–] atomicbocks@sh.itjust.works 33 points 2 days ago

Based on what I know about pricks like this, that he “tricked” her is part of the badge of honor. There is a “you should have known better” or “you weren’t smart enough to see it coming” attitude about these kinds of assholes in my experience, just like with any other bullying.

[–] Leviathan@lemmy.world 38 points 1 day ago (2 children)

"I'm racist, but instead of believing my race is inherently better than yours I believe yours is inherently better than mine. Why else would I feel the need to sabotage you?"

[–] ytg@sopuli.xyz 9 points 1 day ago

A surprisingly common attitude, historically speaking

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 5 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

What he means is that he's not ideologically a racist.

He's saying that he fell victim to the scapegoating by fascism that <insert ethnic minority> is the reason why he's struggling in capitalist society.

[–] atro_city@fedia.io 7 points 1 day ago

And this dude just gets banned while she isn't allowed to repeat the attempt despite it not being her fault. What the fuck?

[–] grte@lemmy.ca 63 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

While Muluh initially defended the staff member, thinking he had made a simple mistake, it was later discovered he acted purposely and with a racist motive.

She even had grace for this POS initially. I guess not having to worry about shady spotters is one of the nice parts of being on the weightlifting side of strength sports.

[Edit] She also nailed that lift. Absolutely robbed.

[–] inb4_FoundTheVegan@lemmy.world 48 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Muluh during her attempt to squat 334 kilograms

That is about 736 pounds, or roughly 1/3 of a ton.

I no longer want to focus on this racist PoS, but this absolute goddamn legend. I honestly struggle to comprehend how the human body can even do this.

[–] StillAlive@piefed.world 27 points 2 days ago (1 children)

She is 135 kg so she's lifting almost 3 times her own weight. That's insane.

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Well, to be clear, she didn't lift it

[–] StillAlive@piefed.world 3 points 1 day ago

She did lift 318 kg last year and it is not unreasonable that she might have lifted that much while preparing for this championship.

I don't know anything about sports but I don't think you can just decide to lift that much weight without any practice.

[–] JustDory@lemmy.today 3 points 2 days ago

It's a truly insane feat, I am pretty amazed by what she did

[–] nullspace@lemmy.world 22 points 2 days ago (1 children)

It's strange that she couldn't get a second attempt with a different spotter. It seems like a failing of sports regulation.

[–] alapakala@quokk.au 25 points 2 days ago

This sport, you get 3 attempts.
The Nazi sabotaged her 3rd squat.
The judges are equally racists for disqualifying her for the sabotaged 3rd attempt.

[–] 0ops@piefed.zip 23 points 2 days ago

That's so fucked. Why are people like this? Just rotten, man

[–] obelix@lemmy.world 20 points 2 days ago (2 children)

There's only one remedy for the Nazi disease.

[–] GreenKnight23@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 1 points 1 day ago

Huh, I always thought it was some fancy hammer made of literal silver. That looks like it's just steel.

[–] CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de 22 points 2 days ago (1 children)

This should be considered assault.

[–] lennee@lemmy.world 15 points 2 days ago (1 children)

i mean nah but like should be liable for damages after admitting it was on purpose

[–] CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de 16 points 2 days ago (1 children)

If you’ve ever done a max squat, imagine someone giving you a shove at the bottom. Now do it with 330kg; a wrong wiggle can mean permanent disability.

[–] lennee@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

but by placing his knee under the wait therefore not allowing to complete the full motion he is not seriously risking injury to the athlete as i understand it? Like obviously in the case you laid out here i would agree with ya

[–] Pollo_Jack@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

I mean, you hit a crane carrying weight with a standard hammer. It probably wont do anything but anyone near the crane would be justifiably pissed.

[–] 58008@lemmy.world 11 points 1 day ago

Even after she went to bat for him and tried to shield him from hate online when she thought it was an innocent mistake, he still went ahead and said that. Yeah, real "piece of shit" move on her part, and a totally cool and normal move on his 😒

[–] Forsho@sh.itjust.works 12 points 2 days ago (1 children)

At least that scum was honest, a filthy smelly worm but still honest.

Now imaging those hiding their hatred and prejudice pretending to be cute and open minded. in reality when the curtains are closed they elect trump but they never say it out in the open, they call ice on their neighbors after saying “good morning” to them earlier that day, they reject your job application for having an ethnic name but will tell you “have a good one” when you chat with them.

80 million individuals elected trump in 2024, let’s fake pretend that this is not the issue and act as if evil is just a minority.

[–] alapakala@quokk.au 15 points 2 days ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

He wasn't honest whatsoever. It was after she was robbed of her title, off the competition, and AFTER the footage came out that he confessed.
It was thanks to honest sports enthusiasts & fans we found out the truth. Public pressure ousted the PoS.

[–] NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 10 points 2 days ago

What a fucking loser thing to do

[–] alapakala@quokk.au 5 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

This is going to demonstrate this sport is corrupt to hell.
Exact moment of sabotage.
French📰 cov.

[–] darkangelazuarl@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

This is going to demonstrate ~~this sport is~~ sports are corrupt to hell.

[–] alapakala@quokk.au 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

that's not a generalization I am going to do.

[–] GreenKnight23@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

it's an easy one to do.

any sport that takes in massive amounts of financial backing for everything from prizes to marketing is greatly susceptible to corruption.

this accounts for at least 90% of all professional sports.

I would say, in general, professional sports are corrupt as hell.

[–] alapakala@quokk.au 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I can't believe I have to explicitize this.
Disengage generalizations with me.
I am accusing IPF of being racists🧵. That's it.

If you do want to continue generalizing, do it in darkangelazuarl’s comment, not mines.
Thanks.

[–] GreenKnight23@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

I can't believe I have to explicitize this.

I can't believe that you feel like you can.

you must be generalizing me with everyone else thinking that I'll just do what you want.

Disengage generalizations with me.

how about, no.

that ivory tower must be pretty nice. sure would be a shame for something to come along and generalize it.

get generalized

that's the problem with people in ivory towers in general. they generally don't even understand that they're in a tower and generally refuse to acknowledge that a tower exists in their general vicinity.

generally.