Indian veteran boxer MC Mary Kom’s loss in the Tokyo Olympics 2020 pre-quarterfinal has stirred controversy for more than one reason. The boxing legend expressed her disbelief publically on Thursday after judges revealed that she lost 3-2 to Colombia’s Ingrit Valencia. This was followed by strong support from several netizens and Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju (former Minister for Sports & Youth Affairs), who expressed their difference of opinion with the judgment, given that Mary Kom had completely dominated round 2.
It was one tight bout between two mothers. And the split decision (3:2) goes in the favour of Valencia.“Surprising..can anyone explain what will be a ring dress. I was ask to change my ring dress just a minute before my pre qtr bout can anyone explain,” Mary wrote on Twitter.She also tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Office, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, the Olympics and Olympics media accounts in her tweet.She also slammed the International Olympic Committee’s Boxing Task Force for “poor judging”, telling PTI, “I don’t know and understand this decision, what’s wrong with the Task Force? What’s wrong with the IOC?”The Task Force is conducting the boxing competition in Tokyo after the International Boxing Association (AIBA) was suspended by the IOC for alleged mis-governance and financial wrongdoing.
The match outcome was a shocking upset and was likely the 38-year-old legend’s last Olympic appearance. Kom is a six-time world champion and holds a bronze medal from the 2012 London Olympics. She is also a recipient of the Arjuna Award, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, and the Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan.Mary could be seen smiling and raising her hands after the judges’ decision was announced.
The 38-year-old six-time world champion said that she realised she had lost only after seeing former sports minister Kiren Rijiju’s tweet about her bout.”I thought I was winning the fight. Then I saw Kiren Rijiju’s tweet on social media about my defeat, I was shocked and upset after that. I don’t know what to say, I can’t believe a decision like this was made,” Mary told India Today.”When I entered the doping centre to give my sample after the fight, even then I couldn’t believe that I lost. My coach was trying to tell me that I won, but what does that mean I’m not able to understand.”I had beaten this girl twice in the past. I couldn’t believe that her hand was raised by the referee. I swear, it hadn’t struck me that I lost, I was so sure,” she added.
