Sachin Tendulkar backs Sarita Devi, says AIBA should re-consider her appeal

“We all know what she has been through and must support her,” Sachin told TV channels after his meeting with the Sports Mininster.

Sarita Devi created ripples in the sporting world when she refused to accept her bronze medal in the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. She alleged that the judges unfairly declared her South Korean opponent as the winner of the bout.

“On behalf of the Government of India, we will take up the matter with AIBA. We will request them to to reconsider her case. India will always be grateful to Sarita for her contribution as an athlete,” he said while speaking to the media.

“We just want the entire nation to be behind Sarita Devi and move forward in the right direction. Being a sportsperson I know what she must have gone through,” Tendulkar said after the meeting.

Sarita refused to accept the bronze medal at the medal ceremony and even went on to hand it to over Park Ji Na, before eventually leaving it on the podium. AIBA, the world boxing governing body acted heavily on Sarita and the Indian boxing officials. On 21 October AIBA provisionally banned them from all AIBA accredited boxing events.

AIBA’s statement read- “AIBA Executive Committee Bureau decided today October 21, 2014 to provisionally suspend Mrs Laisham Sharita Devi, her coaches (Messrs Gurbakhsh Singh Sandhu, Blas Iglesias Fernandez and Sagar Mai Dhayal) as well as Mr Adille J Sumariwalla, Chef de Mission – India, who were all present at the Incheon 2014 Asian Games, and not to allow any of them to participate at all levels of AIBA Competitions, Events and Meetings until further notice.”