Sarita banned, but eligible to compete for Olympic berth

December 18, 2014 01:23 am | Updated November 16, 2021 10:56 pm IST - NEW DELHI:

Sarita Devi

Sarita Devi

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) has suspended former world champion and multiple Asian winner L. Sarita Devi from all levels of boxing activities for one year. The suspension, starting from October 1 this year (the date of the Asian Games medal ceremony), will however enable the seasoned boxer to participate in the qualifying events for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Besides Sarita, who has been asked to pay a fine of 1000 Swiss Francs (around Rs. 66,000), an AIBA Disciplinary Commission (DC), which met at Annapolis, USA on December 12, has also suspended the boxer’s husband Thoiba Singh and foreign coach B.I. Fernandez for two years, and another coach M. Lenin for one year.

Fernandez and Lenin have been slapped with fines of 2000 and 1000 Swiss Francs respectively. Two other coaches, G.S. Sandhu and Sagar Mal Dhayal, have been let off as “they are not guilty of any violation of the Disciplinary Code”.

Interestingly, the Commission, which had also provisionally suspended India’s chef-de-mission to the Incheon Asian Games Adille J. Sumariwalla, on October 21, remained silent on the mission head.

Sarita, who lost to Jina Park of Korea despite giving a dominating performance in the semifinals, did not accept her bronze medal at the presentation ceremony, and instead put it around the neck of the Korean, who managed a silver.

Even as the boxer submitted a written apology to the Olympic Council of Asia and accepted her medal, the AIBA hinted at a strong punishment, fuelling speculation that Sarita might be banned for life.

However, after efforts from the Union Sports Ministry and Boxing India (BI), the AIBA climbed down from its position to restrict the suspension to one year.

Sarita Devi’s “suspension shall end on October 1, 2015, provided all fines have been paid and no additional DC rulings have been rendered against her”.

This will help her take part in the world women’s boxing championship (February 2016) and the Asian qualifying event (between February-April 2016), which will offer berths for the Rio Olympics.

Huge relief

BI president Sandeep Jajodia said the verdict was a huge relief and that the ban could be “reduced” on the basis of Sarita’s good demeanour and hard work. “BI will continue to correspond with AIBA to reduce the punishment, thus enabling and motivating Sarita to prepare for her qualification for the Olympics,” he said in a release.

Sarita, who is nursing a wrist injury, said: “I am hugely relieved and would like to thank the boxing fraternity and BI for helping me sail through these difficult times.

“I will now be able to participate in the Games and will work harder to bring laurels to the country.”

Big contribution

On the fate of Fernandez, who might not be considered for the National camp in the current scenario, BI secretary Jay Kowli said the federation would not like to part ways with the Cuban in such a manner.

“Fernandez has made a big contribution to Indian boxing, and has been associated with us for the last two decades. We will try to find ways to deal with this,” said Kowli.

The DC, however, contradicted itself by holding BI guilty of violation of Article 4.2 of the Principles of Responsibility of the Disciplinary Code, but not taking any action on the ground that an ad-hoc body of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had entered the National delegation for the Asian Games “prior to BI being approved as a provisional member of the AIBA” and the cooperation of BI throughout the investigation of the issue.

Review sought

Meanwhile, the Central Government has sought a review of the AIBA decision to suspend Sarita. In a statement, Union Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said: “Banning her for one year at this juncture will have a demoralising effect on her consistency and good performance.

“It may also affect the promotion and development of boxing in India.”

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