Disciplinary case opened against Sarita Devi
According to the AIBA website, David B. Francis, an AIBA Supervisor, known as the Technical Delegate, submitted a report to the Olympic Council of Asia concerning the case of an Indian Boxer’s behaviour who refused the bronze medal at the Award Ceremony for the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, Korea, which took place today at the Sunhak Boxing Competition Venue.
“The whole incident looked like a well planned scenario by her and her team, and it is regretful to watch a boxer refuse the medal regardless of what happened in the competition. In this regard, as the Technical Delegate, I had to request OCA to review this incident, so any boxer or athlete in other sports will not follow in her footsteps by respecting the spirit of fair-play and sportsmanship of the Olympic Movement,” Francis was quoted as saying by the website.
Sarita Devi, who was denied an opportunity to vie for a Gold since all judges had ruled in favour of the local boxer in South Korea in her semi-final in the ongoing Asian Games, was in tears in the podium when she was asked to accept the bronze, as she refused to wear the medal in protest.
Instead of wearing the bronze medal after taking it in her hand, she handed it over to South Korean silver medalist Ji Na Park who had defeated Sarita in the bout of controversy.
L Sarita Devi (60kg) was defeated in a controversial match against local boxer Jina Park as she had to settle for the bronze.
Controversy clouded the match where Devi lost to Park 3-0 despite clearly being the better boxer.
Despite hit by Sarita's punches on her chins, the referee Algerian referee Hammadi Yakoub Kheira did not give a single standing count.
All three ringside judges ruled in favour of the local boxer.
Sarita told media then: "I am feeling very sad." She also slammed the Indian officials later for not reaching out to her.
The sad moments soured the mood on a day when India also celebrates the Gold win of Mary Kom.
Mary Kom beat Kazakhstan's Zhaina Shekerbekova in the flyweight (48-51kg) summit clash to win the first gold medal for India in the Asian Games.
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