Powerlifter Sonita Muluh first shattered world records in April 2025 when she squatted a monstrous 311 kg (685 pounds). She attempted to break her own record at the IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships in June, with a 334.5 kg lift (737 pounds), when a spotter\u2014who admitted he is racist online\u2014sabotaged her lift, consequently disqualifying her. Now, Muluh is speaking out about the racially motivated act that cost her the world title<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n During powerlifting, a spotter\u2019s job is imperative to help prevent injury, support and protect the lifter, and ensure the validity of an attempted lift. However, Ernestas Kusinas, a volunteer spotter at the competition in Druskininkai, Lithuania, instead used the opportunity to interfere with Muluh\u2019s lift, the Athletic<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n On Muluh\u2019s third attempt to lift 334 kg, Kusinas touched the weights with his knee. Competition judges ruled she was not allowed to reattempt the lift and she was disqualified, according to the BBC<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cI 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,\u201d Muluh said, per the BBC<\/a>. \u201cI was lucky when I realized [it hit his knee] and I could stabilize it. Not everyone could. It was the heaviest ever squat for a female.\u201d<\/p>\n Related: Boxer Terence Crawford Delivers the Most Shocking News About His Career<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n What initial observers might have assumed was just a spotter\u2019s mistake was no accident. Kusina\u2019s interference was intentional, and he admitted it on social media.<\/p>\n \u201cI am racist, and \u2060I did it intentionally because I hate you pieces of sh*t,\u201d he wrote in a now-deleted Instagram post from a now-deleted account, as reported by the Athletic. However, he told Reuters<\/a> his Instagram comment was written out of anger after an unidentified social media user accused him of being racist, and was solely intended to mock the comment.<\/p>\n \u201cI threw him the bone he wanted,\u201d Kusinas told Reuters.<\/p>\n However, Kusinas has also been accused of reposting Nazi logos<\/a> on social media, and comments of him referencing \u201cHeil Hitler\u201d online have resurfaced<\/a>, according to the Athletic.<\/p>\n Now, the Lithuanian police confirmed a criminal investigation is underway that will focus on his Instagram comment and events at the championship. On August 3, a pre-trial investigation for alleged public expression of contempt or incitement to hatred\/discrimination of a person belonging to a protected group was initiated, which holds a maximum penalty of two years in prison.<\/p>\n \u201cHe did not reach out afterwards to apologize, but he is not obliged to. I thought it was a human mistake, that cost me a lot on the day,\u201d Muluh said, the BBC reported<\/a>. \u201cBut there was no hatred [from me]. I didn\u2019t lash out; didn\u2019t curse at him. There was a video of it posted afterwards and I said: \u2018I hope he does not get hate.\u2019 I believed it was an honest mistake. And then I find out five weeks later that he said this.\u201d<\/p>\n The 29-year-old\u2014who first began competing in the sport in 2020\u2014said she feels the International Powerlifting Federation, the sport\u2019s world governing body, failed her and should complete background checks. \u201cIf you are going to put my life in someone else\u2019s hands, at least make sure that person is well equipped to be able to protect me or keep me from harm. But they failed me [through] negligence and putting my life in danger,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Kusinas was issued a lifetime ban by the Lithuanian Powerlifting Federation in July. They also condemned racism and hateful conduct in all its forms in a statement<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cI hope [the IPF] do things differently\u2014that they consider the safety of athletes more and especially minority people,\u201d Muluh added. \u201cI feel that\u2019s what has been missing\u2014we have been made to compete in places we didn\u2019t feel welcome. Some Black athletes are booed in competition, we have to worry about our skin color while competing.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Straight From Sign up for our free daily newsletter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/assets-server.theroot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/13113004\/GettyImages-2229997159.jpg\")
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