Today (9 June), Mongolian court has sentenced  N.Tuvshinbayar, a two-time Olympic medalist for 16 years in prison for murder of his best friend. N.Tuvshinbayar, 37, was charged for a drunken assault which caused a death of fellow wrestler in April, 2021.

The prosecutors submitted the case on 1 December, 2021 to the Khan-Uul District Court charging N.Tuvshinbayar with a criminal code which carries a maximum sentence of 12 years in jail. However, the victim E.Enkhbat, a fellow judoka and a best friend of Tuvshinbayar, died on 24 December, 2021 after retuning home from South Korea. Therefore,  N.Tuvshinbayar re-charged for murder which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

E.Enkhbat was hospitalised unconsciousness at the intensive care unit of the National Centre for Treatment and Research on 2 April after the assault that appears to have caused serious brain damage. Shortly after that, the victim flew to South Korea for brain surgery.

Enkhbat’s career medals include a silver in the men’s under-100kg category at the International Judo Federation (IJF) Grand Slam in Baku in Azerbaijan in 2013 and a gold in the same category at the IJF World Cup in Jeju, South Korea in 2012.

After winning the Olympic gold medal at Beijing 2008, N.Tuvshinbayar competed in the same under-100kg category at London 2012, claiming a silver medal on this occasion. He was elected unopposed as President of the MNOC, which this year is celebrating its 65th anniversary, which occurred August last year. After the incident, N.Tuvshinbayar was removed from a position of the position.