A Swedish athlete has been deprived of a bronze medal at the Beijing Games after he threw the medal on the floor at the award ceremony.

The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the decision on Saturday after a meeting in Beijing, according to the IOC website.

Abrahamian is a Swedish athlete who stepped down from the podium and threw his medal on the floor during the awards ceremony for the men's Greco-Roman wrestling 84kg event on Thursday.

Abrahamian was disqualified from the men's Greco-Roman wrestling 84kg category and excluded from the Beijing Games.

His Olympic identity and accreditation card has also been cancelled and withdrawn, the IOC said.

(CRI August 17, 2008)