Mary Kom suspended for 'unsporting behaviour'

Four-time World champion M C Mary Kom was on Monday suspended till October 27 for "unsporting behaviour" after her quarter-final loss in the women's National Boxing Championships in Jamshedpur.

Mary Kom, representing the All India Police Board (AIPB) at the domestic meet, lost her cool after losing to Pinky Jingra (Haryana) in the quarter-finals of the 10th edition of the meet at the J R D Tata Sports complex.

Mary Kom, who was recently honoured with country's highest sports award -- the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna -- for her achievements at the international level, lost 1-4 on count back after the 20-year-old Jingra equalled scores 15-15 in the 46 kg light-flyweight category.

The 27-year-old Mary Kom then allegedly used "unsporting" language against the judges.

She was suspended till October 27 from all boxing activities following at an emergency meeting of the Indian Boxing Federation after the incident.

Anil Boidar, senior joint-secretary IBF and observer of the championships, said the judges declared Pinky winner on account of better technique, defence and style.

Rakesh Thakran, IBF coordinator, said the decision to suspend Kom temporarily till October 27 was taken by a nine-member jury, headed by N S Kichi, vice-president of the IBF.

The issue will be taken up at the Annual General Meeting of IBF, to be held at Hyderabad on October 27.

"Being a senior player, Kom should have taken the defeat sportingly, but her behaviour was uncalled for," Boidar said.

Kom and L Sarita Devi (AIPB), who lost to Sunita Yadav of Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) in the pre-quarter-final round in the 54 kg weight category on Sunday night, alleged that "regional discrimination" and a planned conspiracy by a certain lobby in the IBF led to their defeat.

"The pugilists, both men and women from the North-East, are being treated indifferently by a section of IBF officials," they said.

Kom said while she did not lodge any written complaint in this regard, she will take up the matter with the general secretary of the IBF, P K M Raja, who will be in the Steel City on Tuesday.