A fiercely patriotic Tayside wrestler had the last laugh after English judges had disqualified him for refusing to take off his kilt.
Ryan Dolan, 19, from Dundee was thrown out of the 14-stone wrestling section at the annual Lakeland Sports Show in the Lake District but went on to compete in the all-weights open section and won the £200 prize.
He was under 14 stone at the unofficial weigh-in but was overweight wearing his kilt when it came to the official weigh-in.
Ryan was then disqualified after refusing to comply with a request from judges to take his kilt off to make the weight.
His Angus club backed his “patriotic gesture” and said they were extremely proud of him despite his disqualification.
Ryan is a member of Carnoustie Backhold Wrestling Club, which is on a tour of England where its members are taking part in a series of competitions.
A spokesman for the club said: “Ryan is a young lad of 19 who over the last three years has become one of the best in Europe.
“We, as a club, will stand behind his patriotic gesture and are extremely proud of him.
“He is in no way big-headed or aloof in fact he regularly gives up his free time to help train on average 25 youngsters a week.
“His stance against the judges wishes was justified, as every Scotsman should have the right to wear their national dress and feel proud.
“I expect our neighbours down south were quite relieved that they found an excuse to eliminate him from that category and give themselves a better chance of reaching the final.”
William Baxter, president of the International Federation of Celtic Wrestling, said: “At the unofficial weigh-in he was under 14 stone, and everything seemed OK, but at the official weigh-in disaster struck.
“He was overweight wearing his kilt. That is fine for the English, who compete in tights and florally embroidered silk vests, but the Scots compete wearing the kilt and when he was told by the officials to take off his kilt to make the weight he refused and was disqualified.”
The traditional Scottish sport of backhold wrestling has long been a fixture of Highland games and is now gaining in popularity in Tayside.
Carnoustie Backhold Wrestling Club was founded by Frazer Hirsch in October 2012 and runs from the Boys Brigade Hall on Maule Street with training for juniors and seniors.
Ryan and Frazer recently represented Scotland at the European Traditional Wrestling Championships in Reykjavik.
Ryan won bronze while Frazer captured a gold medal.
Backhold Wrestling involves the two wrestlers “taking hold” of each other by putting the left arm over the opponent’s right and clasping their own hands behind the opponent’s back.
The wrestlers then attempt to trip or throw each other while maintaining the hold.
The first to touch the floor with any part of the body except the feet or to break their hold loses.