Indian boxing
legend MC Mary Kom lashed out at the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC)
Boxing Task Force for “poor judging”, blaming it for her round of 16 exit from the
Tokyo Olympics’ women’s flyweight event on Thursday.

The six-time
world champion lost the bout against Colombian Ingrit Valencia by a split 3-2
decision, despite winning two of the three rounds.

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“I don’t
know and understand this decision, what’s wrong with the Task Force? What’s
wrong with the IOC?” she told PTI. “I was also a member of the Task Force. I
was even giving them suggestions and supporting them in ensuring a clean
competition. But what have they done with me?”

The
Manipuri legend was in pursuit of a second Olympics medal, after having
clinched the bronze medal at the 2012 London Games. But her narrow loss was something
she could neither understand nor digest even after going for her doping test.

“I was
happy inside the ring, when I came out, I was happy because in my mind I knew I
had won. When they took me for doping, I was still happy. Only when I saw the
social media and my coach (Chhote Lal Yadav repeated it to me), it sunk in that
I have lost.”

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“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
said.

The Indian
trailed 4-1 in the opening round with four of the five judges scoring it 10-9
in favour of Valencia. In the next two rounds, Mary Kom got three of the five
judges to rule in her favour but the overall score-line was still in favour of
Valencia.

The
Manipuri needed a 4-1 verdict in the final round to swing the bout for her.

“The
worst part is that there is no review or protest. Honestly I am sure the world
must have seen, this is too much what they have done,” she said.

“I
should have got the second round unanimously, how was it 3-2? What happened was
totally unpredictable,” she reasoned.

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The IOC’s
Boxing Task Force had promised a more transparent judging system after amateur
boxing’s credibility took a hit during the 2016 Rio Olympics judging fiasco
which led to suspension of 36 officials.

Mary Kom is
part of the BTF’s 10-member athletes ambassador’s group.

She
represents the Asian bloc in the panel, which also comprises the likes of
Ukrainian legend Vasyl Lamachenko (Europe), a two-time Olympic and world
gold-medallist who now plies his trade in the professional circuit, and
five-time world champion and 2016 Olympic gold-winner Julio Cesar La Cruz
(Americas) among others.

“…in
a minute or in a second everything gone for an athlete. This is unfortunate
what has happened. I am disappointed by the judging,” she said.

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But the
veteran is in no mood to quit despite her Olympic journey coming to an end with
the Tokyo edition. At present, boxers above 40 are not eligible to compete at
the Games.

“I
will take a break after coming back, spend time with family. But I am not
quitting. If there is any competition, I will continue and try my luck,”
she said.

The AIBA is
trying to regain IOC recognition by ringing in several changes in the
administrative set-up under new President Umar Kremlev, which includes the
introduction of the bout review system to ensure that boxers’ grievances are
addressed.

“You
can’t do that here. I would have definitely protested otherwise,” Mary Kom
said.