Team USA’s Morgan Turner has been disqualified from the 2026 Senior World Wrestling Championships in Kazakhstan following multiple illegal eye pokes against Russia’s Elizaveta Smirnova.
The incident occurred during their 50 kg round-of-16 match. The repeated eye pokes left Smirnova unable to finish the bout or continue in the tournament. She reportedly suffered a corneal injury and had to be taken to a hospital after medically withdrawing. Because Smirnova could not advance, Turner was also rendered ineligible for the repechage bracket.
The disqualification has intensified existing scrutiny surrounding Turner. Wrestling fans highlighted that just a few weeks prior at the U23 World Championships in Las Vegas, Turner was heavily criticized for allegedly attempting to “fish-hook” a Ukrainian opponent.
