JOIN USSarita trains guns on Indian officials
Boxer Sarita Devi, who refused to accept her bronze on Wednesday, trained her guns on Indian officials who she felt did nothing to help her during the controversial incidents on Tuesday.
“It’s been 24 hours since the semifinal and so far no one has contacted me,” said Sarita. “Most of the top officials were here in the VIP box to witness the bout. But when I lost and despite seeing me cry, not one has called me to console me.
“The officials are supposed to protect us and give us support during such incidents. They simply sit in the VIP box. When we win, they are ready to pose with us for snaps but during controversial times, they are totally absent. I don’t understand why they are here for.”
Sarita’s husband, who launched an expletive-ridden tirade against the judges for what he called blatant fraud, also took a dig at the officialdom.
“When I said I wanted to appeal against the decision, they said there was no point in doing so as we would lose money. I just had $400 dollars with and I had to borrow $100 from a journalist. They didn’t offer one rupee. I’m not saying had we could have won the appeal but at least they could have stood by us. The lack of support is very disturbing.”
In New Delhi, three Union ministers came out in support of Sarita and sports minister Sarbananda Sonowal sought a report from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on the incident.
“We have sought a report from IOA on Sarita’s case. Let them give a detailed report and we will take further steps,” Sonowal told reporters. One of the prominent politicians of north-east and Minister of State for Home Kiran Rijiju didn’t mince words when he said that “Indian officials should have been more pro-active in lodging a protest to the Asian Games Organising Committee, which might have made a difference.”
“We are all sad as we all know that she won the bout,” Rijiju said.
Former Army chief and MoS (North East Region Affairs) V K Singh said that boxing’s scoring and point system has been mired in controversy for a long time.
“We have seen the refereeing and judging in boxing has always been questioned. We have seen Cuban boxers protesting in the Olympics. Our delegation there should have complained at the right time,” said Singh.
However chef-de-mission Adile Sumariwala didn’t support Sarita’s behaviour as she felt that “AIBA won’t take her behaviour very kindly”.
It may be recalled that AIBA only provisionally recognized Boxing India as the new national federation to run the sport in September. There were serious doubts about the participation of the Indian boxers at Incheon, the world body giving its approval only days before the start of the event.