December 06, 2025 02:46 am (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
In front of Putin, PM Modi makes bold statement on Russia-Ukraine war: ‘India is not neutral, we side with peace!’ | Rupee weakens following RBI repo rate cut | RBI slashes repo rate by 25 basis points — big relief coming for borrowers! | 'Mamata fooled Muslims': Humayun Kabir explodes after TMC suspends him over 'Babri Masjid-style mosque' demand; announces new party | Mosque in the middle of Kolkata airport? Centre confirms flight risks, BJP fires at Mamata | Sam Altman is betting big on India! OpenAI in advanced talks with Tata to build AI infrastructure | Government removes mandatory pre-installation of Sanchar Saathi App. Know all details | Calcutta HC overturns controversial Bengal job annulment — 32,000 teachers rejoice! | Bengal SIR shock: 1 lakh ‘deceased voters’ found in Kolkata North! | Massive twist in Bengal voter list: ‘Perfect’ 2,280 booths shrink to just 480 after probe!

Feel sorry for Sarita Devi: Mary Kom

| | Oct 04, 2014, at 07:27 pm
New Delhi, Oct 4 (IBNS): Gold Medalist Indian boxer Mary Kom on Saturday stood beside Sarita Devi and said that her fellow pugilist has clearly been cheated upon.

Speaking to NDTV, the Asian Games Champion said, “Felt sorry for Sarita Devi. She was cheated for sure.”

She did not back the reactions of Sarita Devi though, but maintained that it was Sarita’s way of protest.

“I would not have refused a medal like Sarita Devi. But it was her way of proving a point,” said Mary Kom.

On her triumph factor, she said, “If you have a good husband, if you have a good family, every woman can do what she wants.”

Earlier, speaking to NDTV on Friday, 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 row 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.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.