On a fateful night in Kazan, Russia, Dastan Sharsheev stood in the ring prepared to hear the outcome of his quarter-final bout against Anton Kalinin. Having dominated all three rounds in the short-notice bout, the announcement of the victor was a mere formality. Dressed in his traditional Kyrgyz Kalpak, a high-crowned cap made of sheep’s skin typical in Central Asia, Sharsheev pandered to the crowd and smiled broadly as he awaited the decision. Within moments, his smile was replaced with a baffled expression of incredulity. The judges had awarded their fellow Russian with the victory – a win that set the stage for a series of events that emphasized the plight of Central Asian migrants in the Russian Federation.
Fighter threatened with deportation for questioning decision
