AIBA C'ship: Sonia enters quarters after a controversial bout

India's young boxer Sonia Chahal on Monday trounced former world champion Stanimira Petrova 3-2 in a controversial bout to enter the quarterfinals of the ongoing International Boxing Association (AIBA) Women's World Boxing Championships.

While reflecting on her win, the featherweight (57kg) boxer said, "I won the first round but lost in the second one. Then I was told to be aggressive in the third one to win the close bout."

After the bout, Petrova accused the judges of corruption, while her coach, Petar Yosifov Lesov, who threw a bottle inside the ring to protest the result, was barred from ringside for the remainder of the tournament.

"AIBA has decided to remove the accreditation, and therefore the right to be in the corner, from the coach of the Bulgarian delegation Petar Yosifov Lesov (BUL) due to his unacceptable behavior after the decision of the Bout Number 177 Session 9 Ring B involving Stanimira Petrova (BUL) and Sonia (IND)," a statement issued by the AIBA said.

"AIBA does not tolerate, in any circumstances, such behaviors against the AIBA values and AIBA Code of Conduct, especially being a coach," the statement added.

The incident will be forwarded to the Disciplinary Commission for further review.

Meanwhile, Sonia in her defence, said that the decision was taken by all the judges so it was fair. "How can all the five judges go wrong? It was a fair decision," she said.

The Indian campaigner will next face Columbia's Arias Castenada Yeni Marcela in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.

In another bout, the middleweight (75 kg) boxer Saweety lost her opening bout to Poland's Elzbieta Wojcik in a unanimous decision.