Boxing India chief expresses satisfaction over Sarita Devi's reduced ban

Boxing India (BI) president Sandeep Jajodia on Wednesday expressed happiness over the International Boxing Association (AIBA) appreciating India's plea and granting a reduction in pugilist Sarita Devi's penalty from the earlier understood lifetime ban to a one-year ban and a monetary fine of 1000 CHF (Swiss Frank).

Sarita Devi had been criticized for her actions at the 2014 Asian Games, where she had rejected the bronze medal for perceived bias by the judges and had draped her medal around the silver medalist Park Jina.

"I spoke to Sarita and she is hugely relieved. It is a big respite for not only Sarita, but also for the entire boxing fraternity as we were expecting a much stronger ban," Jajodia told ANI

"I would actually call this one year ban a token ban because it no way comes in the way of her career." he added.

Stating that BI personally met the AIBA president Woo in Xexou in South Korea and explained to him the circumstances in which the incident had occurred, Jajodia further said that Sarita Devi's actions were not premeditated and that it was a one-off incident.

"She got emotional and presented an emotional outburst. She is otherwise a very disciplined sportsperson," Jajodia said.

Expressing happiness over the fact that national boxing coach G S Sandhu has been cleared by AIBA, Jajodia further told ANI that by highlighting Sandhu's physical absence at the scene, BI made continuous efforts to explain to the AIBA that Sandhu had no role to play in the incident.

"I am very happy that BI has been successful in convincing AIBA to let Sandhu off," he added.

Jajodia further added that it wasn't likely for BI to further the cause of I B Fernandez with the AIBA as it was unlikely to yield any result.

"I am not sure if we'll take up the case again and if it will yield any result, but we will still have a discussion within Boxing India," he said.

Sarita Devi had earlier in the year refused to accept the bronze medal awarded to her after she had lost in a controversial bout during the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, leading to the AIBA suspending the pugilist and her coaches indefinitely.