A 3-time champion highschool wrestler in New Jersey has been charged for his alleged involvement in a brawl that broke out within the stands throughout his match.
Anthony Knox Jr. had initially been disqualified from the postseason through the closing week of February, however was later reinstated by a decide on Friday. He was allowed to compete in a match on Saturday. Knox went on to win the championship in his weight class within the state match and is about to compete for his fourth state title over the second weekend in March.
Nonetheless, Collingswood police on Tuesday charged the Saint John Vianney senior with easy assault and inflicting bodily harm. The fees stem from the brawl within the bleachers at Collingswood Excessive College on Feb. 22.
Movies posted to social media confirmed a chaotic brawl erupt within the stands of a highschool competitors in Camden County. Knox may very well be seen within the movies operating into the stands.
“I saw an angry mob surround my father and I made the decision to assist in his aid,” he mentioned.
Knox and his household have denied hitting anybody, saying they’re the victims. Police haven’t recognized any others concerned within the brawl.
“Parents started to become more and more irritated and the crowd started getting rowdy,” mentioned the student-athlete’s father, Anthony Knox Sr. “I never hit anybody. I was assaulted by a mob of people that have been thrown out of countless wrestling events.”
In New Jersey the way forward for a champion highschool wrestler is up within the air. Anthony Knox seems to have misplaced his likelihood of an historic 4-peat title after being disqualified from the state championship the choice comes after a brawl over the weekend as cameras had been rolling. NBC New York’s Adam Harding stories.
Knox Sr. insisted he by no means threw any punches, however mentioned his son was left to pay the worth.
“No one asked my son after they came to the decision what happened with him. No one had a hearing for him. They just came to a decision on their own – they made him a scapegoat,” mentioned Knox Sr.
In a press release, the top of New Jersey’s Interscholastic Athletic Affiliation (NJSIAA) mentioned Knox had violated the affiliation’s sportsmanship coverage in addition to its “disqualification rule for leaving the bench area during an altercation.”
On Thursday, the household filed an attraction, asking a decide to briefly carry the suspension with a view to enable Knox to compete at a regional match. The three-time champ alleged the NJSIAA stripped him of his due course of.
“They’re going to destroy everything this young man worked for his entire life,” Patrick Jennings, the legal professional for the Knox household, mentioned at an emergency listening to Thursday.
On Friday, the decide sided with the household, permitting Knox to compete within the weekend match. He was allowed to compete till an extra order of the courtroom.
The NJSIAA mentioned it “respects the decision of the Mercer County court; however, we strongly disagree with it.” The affiliation mentioned it could attraction the ruling and can contemplate different choices as properly, however would enable Knox to wrestle within the regional match within the meantime “under the terms of the temporary retraining order.”
