London: Indian boxer Manoj Kumar (64kg) cried “cheating” as he made a controversial exit from the Olympics, losing a thrilling pre-quarterfinal bout to home favourite Thomas Stalker late on Saturday.
The 26-year-old Manoj fought well, but still trailed in terms of points as the British boxer managed a 20-16 victory.
“It doesn’t look fair because he was going in one direction and the scores 7-4 and 9-4 to him don’t justify that,” the dejected Commonwealth Games gold-medallist said.
“It doesn’t look like an Olympic Games but more like a district competition because if it’s Great Britain in the ring it doesn’t matter who’s against them. It’s like a district competition where there’s lots of cheating, cheating, cheating,” he added.
Stalker won the first round 7-4 and maintained his lead by winning the second round 9-5. The Indian then launched an all out attack in the third and last round, which he claimed 7-4 but he eventually left the arena disappointed.
The Indian camp was furious with the decision and strongly felt that Manoj was at the receiving end of some dubious point calls.
India’s Cuban coach Blas Iglesias Fernandez said Manoj should have won the other two rounds as well.
“The last round was 7-4 (to Kumar). Why no other rounds? All rounds were the same. It was very poor judging,” he said.
On whether his boxer was “robbed”, Fernandez said “I think so.”
However, tempers seemed to have calmed down on Sunday, when it was learnt that India would not challenge the ruling.
“It’s a heartbreaking loss…but we will not protest because we don’t want to be seen as bad losers,” an Indian boxing contingent member said.
Meanwhile, India’s protest regarding Vikas Krishnan’s loss on Saturday is now in the Court of Arbitration but the chances of anything happening appear remote ahead of the quarters on Tuesday. (PTI)