Kolecki placed second while competing at the 207 lb weight (94 kg) with Kasachen Ilja Ilin in his class. But he surprised the public by appearing with a shaved head. He had sported a neat short haircut during the European masters event, but at the Olympics he showed up shorn.
“I am outraged at what happened in Tibet,” Kolecki explained. “Each time I read a report it is difficult for me to imagine competing in a nation whose rulers simply beat down any protests the citizens might have; those who are dissatisfied with the Party; those who are being hunted.”
Prior to his trip to Beijing he stated, “It is an opportunity for me to see Beijing. When audience members from all over the world are concentrating on Beijing, I can show them [in my own way] how the Chinese regime suppresses the Tibetans. I shall concentrate on the competition prior to Aug. 17, but after that I will keep my eyes wide open. When I spot something unjust, I will definitely not look the other way.”
According to a report from the organization “Free Tibet,” Szymon Kolecki commented to a Polish media following the finals, ”I shaved my hair this morning. The Olympic Charter prevents me from telling you why I did that, but I am telling you: It is a symbol!”
