A bet is a bet, according to the outcome of an arm wrestling match between two drinking buddies in the southwestern Siberian region of Kuzbass in which the loser was to cut off his ear, regional police said.
"During a drinking party, [two men] decided to hold an arm wrestling 'tournament' and according to the rules of the drunken contest, the loser was to cut off his ear," the police said.
The loser of the first round was not satisfied with the results, so the two decided to hold a second round, which ended in a tie.
They both finally came to an agreement that the bet nonetheless needed to be fulfilled, so they each cut off their left ear: one completely, the other only half way, according to the police report.
Both arm wrestlers have been hospitalized, but no details of their condition were provided by the police.
A similar incident occurred in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk in December. During a drinking binge, the host cut off part of one of his guests' ear on a bet. Apparently the friends had decided that the host should "slightly" cut someone's ear. Doctors were able to sew the ear back together.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.