My opponent knew I won: Sarita Devi

Speaking to NDTV channel, Sarita Devi apologized for her actions.

She said, “I apologized for the sake of my nation. I apologised taking my country's interests into consideration. What I did on the podium shouldn't affect my teammates.”

“The support I got from fans has mended my broken heart. I want to forget all that has happened to me,” she added.

In the same time, she maintained that her opponent also knew that she won the fight. “My Korean opponent accepted that I had won the bout,” reiterated Sarita.

She said, “I was pained at the way I was treated by the system. I hope that such a thing never happens to another player,” she added.

Sarita Devi landed in a big controversy after she refused to wear the bronze medal she won in the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) on Wednesday 'opened' disciplinary case against Indian boxer.

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 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.

The controversy started after Sarita Devi lost the semi-final match against host nation South Korea's Park Ji-Na on Wednesday morning.

In the controversy clouded semi-final bout, 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.

A disconsolate Sarita had refused to accept her bronze medal during the medal ceremony.

She was in tears in the podium when she was asked to accept the bronze, as she refused to wear the medal in protest.

Instead after taking the medal in her hand, Sarita handed it over to South Korean silver medalist Ji Na Park who had defeated her.

Image: Facebook page of Sarita Devi