A SPOTTER at the Powerlifting Championships declared “I’m a racist” in a bigoted online post after sabotaging a black athlete’s record lift.
Ernestas Kusinas was filmed placing his knee underneath the barbell during a 334.5kg squat by Sonita Muluh, causing the Belgian powerlifter to be disqualified.
Kusinas was one of five spotters at the event back in June whose job it was to help keep Muluh safe in case she couldn’t complete the lift.
During the mammoth squat attempt, footage showed Kusinas clearly moving his leg to be in line with the barbell’s plates.
It was caught by the judges at the event in Lithuania who ruled the lift was void due to his illegal touch.
A devastated Muluh, 29, initially came out to defend Kusinas in a video online believing it was a simple mistake.
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But the tattooed spotter quickly responded with a disgraceful comment.
He said: “I am a racist, and I did it intentionally, because I hate you pieces of s***.”
The Lithuanian Powerlifting Federation immediately reported the comment to the police who opened up an investigation.
He is now facing a maximum punishment of two years in prison for the hate speech.
Kusinas has since claimed the Instagram comment was written out of anger and wasn’t said in a malicious way.
He said the remark was actually meant to make a mockery of people who were calling him racist for his involvement in the disqualified squat.
He also claimed he unintentionally interfered with Muluh, as well as other athletes, because he was “tired”.
The Lithuanian Powerlifting Federation has already issued a lifetime ban for Kusinas.
He has made his social media accounts private after a barrage of messages called him out for his behaviour.
Muluh said Kusinas’ actions will forever haunt her at powerlifting events going forward but that she won’t let him affect her career.
She said: “I have dealt with racism in numerous ways but never in this manner.”
The champion lifter added: “While this incident is now going to make me question every spotter standing next to me, question if I am safe.
“I wanted to say a BIG thank you to everyone that has ever spotted me and kept me safe without being bothered by the colour of my skin.
“I have seen people die with less weight on their back because of bad spotting but Thank God my story is that of no physical harm.”
Muluh also hit out at the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF), alleging they “failed” her “through negligence”.
She told BBC Sport they had “put her life in danger” by allowing Kusinas to spot.
The IPF responded with a statement saying: “The IPF is aware of the incident involving an individual serving as a volunteer spotter/loader during the 2026 IPF World Classic Open Powerlifting Championships in Lithuania.
“The IPF unequivocally condemns racism, discrimination, and hateful conduct in all its forms.
“Such behavior has no place within the IPF or the global powerlifting community.
“We acknowledge and commend the Lithuanian Powerlifting Federation for its prompt and decisive response to this matter, including its immediate action to permanently ban the individual from participation within the federation.”
Muluh also went on to say she didn’t feel welcome at the event in Lithuania and felt like people were “looking down on her in a very disgusting way”.
Muluh, a Cameroon-born Belgian athlete, has won medals at several Powerlifting Championships in the past and became world champion in 2024.
