Olympics: Vikas Krishan's result overturned after being declared winner, IOA cries foul

New Delhi: A row has erupted over Indian boxer Vikas Krishan's exit from the London Olympics in the 69 kg category after the decision of his bout was over turned. The Indian Olympics Association (IOA) is now crying foul.

IOA Vice President Tarlochan Singh has called the decision 'wrong' and 'political'. "This is a very wrong decision. Everyone could see the fight and everyone saw him doing it. We were winning a third medal with great difficulty and they deprived us of that. The jury should have scheduled a rematch, that's in the rules as well," Singh said.

Indian Chef-de-Mission PK Muralidharan Raja has also said the country's contingent will not take the decision lying down even though it has "limited options" in the matter.

"We are looking at the video recording of the bout. In our opinion, fouls were committed by the American opponent as well, he too should have been penalised. The matter is subjudice, we are preparing our reply. We want to bring to the notice of the jury the fouls committed by the opponent. The team manager will handover the protest officially," Raja said.

Hours after he reached the quarter-finals in the 69 kg category, boxer Vikas Krishan was declared out of the London Olympics. The result of Krishan's bout was overturned by International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) on Saturday morning.

Twenty-one-year-old Krishan had moved into the quarter-finals of the men's welter weight (69 kg) category by prevailing over Errol Spence of USA at the ExCel Arena in London on Friday night.

The AIBA declared Spence as the winner and four extra points have been awarded to him. The final score now is 15-13 in favour of the American boxer.

"There were a total of nine (9) holding fouls committed by the Indian boxer in the third round alone. However, the Referee only gave one caution," the AIBA said in a statement after a review by its competition Jury.

"In the second round, at the time 02:38, the boxer from India spitted out his gumshield intentionally. However, the Referee didn't give any warning," it added.

Based on these "findings", the jury members "unanimously" decided to award Spence four points, thereby making him the winner.

"Based on the AIBA Technical & Competition Rules 12.1.9, the Referee should have given at least two (2) warnings to the Indian boxer. Although the boxer from India intentionally spitted out his gumshield, the Referee's view was blocked by the boxer from the USA and was not able to see the action," the international body added.

Spence will now take on Andrey Zamkovoy of Russia in the quarter-finals.

(With additional information from PTI)

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