The ongoing senior boxing nationals in Greater Noida have been rocked by a major controversy following the disqualification of Tokyo Olympian Ashish Kumar Chaudhary. The incident has cast a harsh spotlight on the quality of officiating at the prestigious week-long tournament, leading to immediate disciplinary action against the officials involved.
Controversial Bout Leads to Immediate Action
During his bout in the men's 75-80kg division against Haryana's Rupesh, Ashish Kumar Chaudhary was disqualified by the referee. The official cited the boxer for ducking too low and an alleged head-butt that caused his opponent to bleed. This decision prompted a fierce and immediate protest from the Himachal Pradesh boxing association, which Chaudhary represents.
An investigation into the sequence of events revealed significant errors in judgment. Initially, the referee on duty ruled the head contact as accidental and administered a standing count to Rupesh. However, after consultations with the technical delegate for the event, Narendra Nirwan, the decision was dramatically overturned to a disqualification.
Officials Face Consequences for Poor Judgment
The fallout from the contentious call was swift. A subsequent review by the tournament's technical director, Rajan Sharma, concluded that the referee's handling of the situation was flawed. As a direct result, the referee was stripped of duties for a full day and subsequently removed entirely from the officiating roster for the remainder of the competition for demonstrating poor judgment.
Furthermore, technical delegate Narendra Nirwan, who was consulted during the bout, was also held accountable. He was relieved of his further observing duties at the nationals, underscoring the seriousness with which the organizing committee viewed the lapse.
Other Stars Shine on Day Three
Amidst the officiating scandal, the boxing action continued on day three. World Championships bronze medallist Pooja Rani and Jadumani Singh both recorded comfortable victories in their respective matches. However, other big names like Lovlina Borgohain and Amit Panghal were pushed hard and stretched to their limits by determined opponents in closely contested bouts.
The incident involving Ashish Kumar Chaudhary raises critical questions about consistency and standards in boxing officiation at the national level. It highlights the need for continuous training and evaluation of referees and judges to ensure fair play and protect the careers of athletes competing at the highest level.
