The summer Olympic games are one of the oldest sporting competitions in the world and wrestling has long been one of the cornerstone events at the games, but after the IOC announced a decision to drop the sport from the Olympics, champion Armen Nazaryan has decided to go on a hunger strike to protest the decision.

According to NESN.com, Nazaryan has planned to go on a hunger strike to protest the decision to drop the sport from the Olympics. The 39-year-old athlete is the head coach of Bulgaria's Greco-Roman team and formerly won a gold medal for Armenia in 1996.

The country's wrestling federation said on Sunday to the Associated Press that Nazaryan "will not eat until the start of the European Championship on March 22 in Tbilisi, Georgia ... and will only take juices."

After competing for Armenia for a number of years, the champions represented Bulgaria at the 1997 World Championships. He won a gold medal in the 2000 games and a bronze in the 2004 games.

"I'm protesting against the recommendation to drop wrestling from the Olympics," Nazaryan said. "Wrestling has always been part of the Olympic program and it's not right to exclude it from the Games. I'm starting my hunger strike and from now on I will drink only syrup."

The Bulgarians have been one of the most successful countries at the sport, winning 16 Olympic titles.