(ATR) The International Boxing Association has sent home judges and referees from the Rio 2016 Olympics following questionable decisions.
"The AIBA R&J Commission has reviewed all decisions and determined that less than a handful of the decisions were not at the level expected and consequently it has been decided in accordance with the AIBA R&J evaluation committee that the concerned referees and judges will no longer officiate at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games," AIBA said in a statement.
Although AIBA did not mention any specific bouts in taking action against the unsatisfactory decisions, it would come as no surprise if one of them was the decision that stripped away a chance at a medal for Michael Conlan of Ireland.
Following the quarterfinal match in the bantamweight division where Conlan left his opponent Vladimir Nikitin of Russia bloodied and bruised, the judges ruled that Nikitin would advance much to the chagrin of Conlan. Conlan gave the judges the middle finger, ripped off his vest and went ringside for a vehement rant against AIBA.
"AIBA cheats, it f**king cheats. That's it for me, I'll never box for AIBA again," he told RTE seconds after the decision. "That's the end of my Olympic gold. My dream has been shattered now."
Conlan was seeking to defend his world championship title earned in Doha in October but will return to his home country empty handed, much like fellow Irish boxer Katie Taylor who was unsuccessful in defending her gold medal from London 2012.
"Katie yesterday, I don't know why she lost that fight. It was a close fight but she didn't lose," Conlan says. "Amateur boxing stinks from the core right to the top."
AIBA says that according to its new rules boxers cannot appeal the decisions and that all results will stand. Conlan took to Twitter to express his disapproval of the action of sending the judges home that is of little consequence to the boxers themselves.
Wow this says a lot about AIBA, Sending judges home who ruin dreams, what happens 2 the ppl who's dream were ruined? https://t.co/n5VnWRzLJa
— Michael Conlan (@mickconlan11) August 17, 2016Adding injury to insult, Nikitin is unable to compete in the bronze medal match due to injuries likely sustained at the hands of Conlan, according to U.S. boxer Shakur Stevenson’s coach Billy Walsh. Stevenson will automatically be granted the bronze medal on Thursday.
Written by Kevin Nutley
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