Ace woman boxer Sarita Devi threatens to give up Arjuna Award

NEW DELHI - Ace woman boxer Laishram Sarita Devi staged a silent protest outside the residence of Union Sports Minister M.S. Gill. on Friday demanding a retrial of the Asian Games’ selection procedure for boxing, and said that she wanted to return the prestigious Arjuna Award if a fair retrial is not conducted.

Sarita Devi remained outside the residence of Union Sports Minister M.S. Gill and refused to move till she met the minister.

Devi said she wanted a trial with more transparency, and said that officials of the Indian Boxing Federation (IBF) had conspired against her to keep her name off the list.

“Whatever that has happened with me is wrong. He assured me that he will solve my issues within one week, and I fully trust him, and I think he will resolve my problem,” said Devi.

“I asked him to re-conduct the trial. I am not saying that I will get selected in the Asian Games. I just want that the fights should be conducted in front of everybody and whosoever is better will be selected,” she added.

Devi even named IBF General Secretary Muralidharan Raja as having conspired against her.

“This is like a big conspiracy which actually happened with me. I got selected in the one-month early trials and after that the trial was again conducted in Talkatora Stadium in which nobody was allowed,” said Devi.

“They conducted the trial without knowing anybody and also did scoring, but didn’t show the score to anybody. They deliberately conducted the conspiracy so as to push me out of the team, especially Muralidharan,” she added.

Meanwhile, M.S. Gill said he had asked his ministry officials to investigate the matter and promised the boxer justice.

“If somebody is having problem in the selection procedure like Sarita Devi has said -she came to me and I listened to her carefully, and I have asked my officials to check this matter because we try our best that fair selection should be there, as per me and the government,” said Gill.

Sarita Devi, a seven-times gold medallist in various international women’s boxing tournaments was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 2009. (ANI)