Russia's Roman Vlasov was left dumbfounded after Wrestling World Championship organisers played the wrong anthem during the 75kg medal ceremony ©ITG

Wrestling World Championship organisers played the wrong anthem as Russia’s Roman Vlasov, winner of the 75 kilogram category, stood atop the podium here yesterday, it has been revealed. 

The song played was Russian composer Mikhail Glinka’s "Patrioticheskaya Pesnya", used as the Russian national anthem from 1990 to 2000 before President Vladimir Putin’s administration reinstated the well-known "Gosudarstvenny Gimn Rossiyskoy Federatsii". 

Vlasov, a London 2012 gold medallist at 74kg, defeated Denmark's Mark Overgaard Madsen in his weight category final having seen off 2014 world champion Arsen Julfalakyan of Armenia en route. 

"I didn’t immediately realise what anthem was playing," Vlasov told RT.com.

"But when the music stopped, I told the organisers I wouldn’t budge from the spot until I heard the real Russian anthem.

"We bust our backs all year round for this moment.

"I would have stood there until my legs gave out."

Roman Vlasov fought off strong competition to win the 75kg category title
Roman Vlasov fought off strong competition to win the 75kg category title ©UWW

Organisers quickly corrected the error, but then followed it up with what RT.com describes as a "rather giddy and cartoonish version" of the current Russian anthem.

The embarrassing moment played out following yesterday's earlier news that Russian Wrestling Federation President Mikhail Mamiashvili had been denied a United States visa to attend the Championships.

Mamiashvili had planned to attend the tournament, which started yesterday and are scheduled to conclude on Saturday (September 12). 

The United World Wrestling vice-president claimed he was frustrated by the decision as he supported the international governing body's choice to stage the World Championships in the US for the first time since 2003, when New York City hosted the men's freestyle competition. 


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