Cuban competitor Ángel Valodia Matos was leading 3-2 in the bronze medal bout against Kazakhstan's Arman Chilmanov, until he apparently suffered a broken toe and was subsequently ruled to have retired after the allotted one minute of injury time expired.

After a brief argument, Matos kicked referee Chakir Chelbat in the face, punched a judge in the arm and spat on the floor of the arena before he and his coach, Leudin González, who had criticized the referee's ruling as too strict and also accused Kazakhstan of bribing officials, were escorted out by security.

As Chelbat received a cut lip that required seven stitches, the WTF also considered taking legal action against the Cuban team.

The main bracket consisted of a single elimination tournament, culminating in the gold medal match.

Each semifinal loser faced the last remaining repechage competitor from the opposite half of the bracket in a bronze medal match.