Belgian champion Sonita Muluh says she fears competing after a spotter’s alleged admission that he intentionally interfered with her record attempt prompted a criminal investigation.
*Belgian powerlifting champion Sonita Muluh says she no longer feels safe competing after a spotter involved in her failed world-record squat attempt allegedly admitted on social media that he intentionally sabotaged the lift because of her race. This claim has since triggered a criminal investigation in Lithuania.
Muluh was attempting a record 334.5-kilogram (737-pound) squat at the World Powerlifting Championships in Lithuania in June when spotter Ernestas Kusinas made contact with the bar using his knee. Judges ultimately disqualified the attempt because of a separate technical infringement, ending her chance to break the record.
Weeks later, the controversy intensified when Kusinas posted on Instagram, “I am racist, and I did it intentionally.”
According to BBC Sport, Muluh said discovering the post weeks after the competition completely changed how she viewed the incident.
“It’s shocking to wake up five weeks later and it’s all over the internet that he did it on purpose because of the colour of my skin,” she said.
Criminal Investigation Underway
According to Reuters, Lithuanian police have opened a criminal investigation into both the Instagram message and the events surrounding the championship. Authorities said investigators will examine the social media post as well as what happened during Muluh’s lift. The offense carries a maximum potential prison sentence of two years.
Kusinas later told Reuters that the Instagram post was not intended as an admission of racism but as a sarcastic response to accusations made by an unidentified social media user. He also maintained that any interference with Muluh’s attempt was accidental and blamed fatigue after volunteering throughout the championship.
The Lithuanian Powerlifting Federation has since permanently banned Kusinas.
In a statement, the federation said it was “deeply shocked” by the views and activities he expressed publicly, adding that they contradicted the organization’s principles.
Athlete Says She No Longer Feels Safe
Muluh said she initially believed the contact during her lift was an unfortunate mistake.
“He did not reach out afterwards to apologise, but he is not obliged to,” she told BBC Sport. “I thought it was a human mistake that cost me a lot on the day.”
She even urged people not to direct hate toward Kusinas after video of the failed attempt circulated online because she believed no harm had been intended.
That changed after she learned of the Instagram post.
“I feel unsafe and uneasy that this person is standing beside me with massive weight, with what can go wrong, with the amount of weight on your back,” she said.
“I was lucky when I realised [it hit his knee] and I could stabilise it. Not everyone could. It was the heaviest ever squat for a female.”
For Muluh, the issue extends beyond losing a world-record opportunity.
She said it has fundamentally changed her confidence in the safety measures designed to protect athletes attempting lifts weighing hundreds of kilograms.
Calls for Greater Accountability
Muluh also criticized the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF), saying the governing body failed athletes by not doing more to ensure volunteers responsible for athlete safety were properly vetted.
“I feel like the federation needs to do background checks,” she told BBC Sport. “If you are going to put my life in someone else’s hands, at least make sure that person is well equipped to be able to protect me or keep me from harm.”
She said she believes the federation only moved decisively after the controversy attracted international attention.
Muluh also described feeling unwelcome while competing in parts of Europe, saying some Black athletes have experienced racist treatment both inside and outside competitions.
“Some Black athletes are booed in competition,” she said. “We have to worry about our skin colour while competing.”
She added that while many Black athletes privately reached out to support her, she was disappointed that many prominent figures in the sport remained silent.
The IPF condemned racism and discrimination in a statement, saying such behavior “has no place within the IPF or the global powerlifting community.” The organization also announced plans to strengthen the recruitment, screening, accreditation and oversight of volunteers working at future championship events.
For Muluh, however, those changes cannot restore the opportunity she lost.
“I’ve put my body through a lot for this to happen,” she said. “There’s never going to be any real justice.”
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