As the one-year ban for the tearful outburst at the Asian Games ends on Thursday, former World champion Laishram Sarita Devi says the forced sabbatical proved a blessing in disguise and helped her become a thinking boxer and calmer person.
The government has written to AIBA to revoke the suspension of boxer Sarita Devi, Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said.
Indian boxer L Sarita Devi's refusal to accept her bronze medal on the podium went against the values of sportsmanship, Asian Games organisers said on Thursday, adding they were reviewing the incident and could take action against her.
MC Mary Kom and the seasoned L Sarita Devi spearheaded India's gold rush at the second India Open boxing tournament, which concluded on Friday.
Five-time world champion Mary Kom and her colleague Sarita Devi continued to impress the crowd with agile movements for the second day in a row, outplaying their opponents in the South Asian Games qualifiers in Shillong on Wednesday. Sarita defeated a tough opponent P Basumatary in the quarterfinal round to proceed in the South Asian Games qualifiers and test event at the NEHU, SAI Special Area Games. Mary Kom on the other hand made mincemeat of Soniya in her bout to sail into the next round. Sarjubala Devi, Aruna Mishra and Pooja Rani also beat their opponents to move ahead.
Veteran boxer Sarita Devi, who is currently serving a provisional suspension, has found support from cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar who has written a letter to the Sports Minister urging him to support her and ensure that her career is not terminated prematurely.
The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) elections have been put on hold after conflicting orders from the Delhi and Himachal Pradesh High Courts.
The two Indians made the grade in the 52 and 50kg categories at the World Women's Boxing Championships.
Former World Boxing champion Aruna Mishra alleged that the adverse decision against Sarita Devi has robbed her off a gold in the Asian Games, but opined the boxer should have accepted the bronze medal as it was for the nation.
Sarita was mostly asymptomatic for the duration of her illness, experiencing only mild fever for a day along with a blocked nose.
Boxer Sarita Devi's emotional refusal to wear the bronze medal at the Asian Games podium inside the Seonhak Gymnasium in Incheon on Wednesday has not gone down well with some members of the Indian contingent.
Former Sports Minister Ajay Maken termed AIBA's decision to suspend Indian woman boxer L Sarita Devi for refusing to accept bronze medal at the Asian Games podium ceremony as "unfortunate" and asked the Centre to take up the matter at the highest international level.
Requesting the International Boxing Association to revoke the provisional suspension on L Sarita Devi, Boxing India President Sandeep Jajodia said her unconditional apology and her impeccable past disciplinary record would form the crux of her defence in front of the world body.
L Sarita Devi (64kg) and Sonia Lather (57kg) advanced to the semifinals and assured themselves of medals at the Asian women's Boxing Championships.
Asian champion L Sarita Devi (60kg) on Saturday took her first step towards the London Games qualification after she posted an easy win over Azerbaijan's Ayzanat Hajiyeva in the opening round of the Women's World Championships-cum-Olympic Qualifiers in Qinhuangdao, China.
In a first for women's boxing in India, former world champion and Asian Games bronze-medallist L Sarita Devi has decided to turn professional but will not give up on the amateur circuit either if the Boxing Federation of India allows her. The 31-year-old multiple-time Asian champion decided to take the plunge by signing up a two-year deal with the commercial partners of Indian Boxing Council (IBC) - a licensing body for professional boxers in the country -- Sporty Boxing Private Limited.
Distraught after losing her controversial semifinal bout, Indian boxer L Sarita Devi on Tuesday stunned officials and spectators by refusing to accept the bronze medal, which is now in the custody of organisers.
The two boxers, who had signed up with the Indian Boxing Council (IBC), will be re-joining the national camp after submitting letters of apology to the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) for abruptly leaving the amateur circuit.
Under pressure from AIBA, Boxing India (BI) said it has decided to issue a show cause notice to boxer Sarita Devi's husband and personal coach for their unauthorised presence at the ringside during the Incheon Asian Games.
Pinki Jangra, Sonia Lather and Sarita Devi scored dominating victories to reach the semi-finals of their respective categories at the sixth Asian Women Boxing Championships in Ulaanbaatar.
India's L Sarita Devi (60kg) stunned defending champion and world No 2 Gulsum Tatar of Turkey to enter the pre-quarter-finals in the seventh World Women's Boxing Championships in Qinhuangdao, China, on Monday and inch closer to qualifying for the London Olympics.
M C Mary Kom and Pooja Rani knocked out their respective opponents while L Sarita Devi survived a scare as India grabbed all the three gold medals on offer in women's boxing for an overall clean-sweep of top honours in the 12th South Asian Games in Shillong on Tuesday.
Sarita, who got a first-round bye, frittered away a strong start to bow out with a 0-5 loss.
In its latest order, the Himachal Pradesh High Court directed the Sports Ministry observer and the Returning Officer to issue a fresh election schedule before April 28, when the case is set to be heard again.
London Olympics bronze medalist MC Mary Kom, L Sarita Devi and Pooja Rani are all set to represent India in the upcoming 12th South Asian Games 2016 to be held in Guwahati and Shillong. The trio emerged triumphant in the final round bouts of their respective weight categories during the South Asain Games Test event and Elite Women's National Boxing Selection trial held at the NEHU, SAI Special Area Games in Shillong on Friday. While five-time world champion Mary Kom beat Sarjubala Devi in the fly-weight category to claim the SAG spot, Sarita ousted a spirited Soniya in the light-weight category.
Four-time World champion M C Mary Kom (46kg) and L Sarita Devi (51kg) are assured of at least a bronze medal each after easing into the semi-finals of the Asian Women's Boxing Championship in Astana, Kazakhstan. Mary Kom defeated Sri Lanka's Anushka 6-3, while Sarita thrashed Ri Hyang Mi of North Korea 10-1 amid protests from the rival camp, which alleged unfair scoring.
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India's woman boxer Sarita Devi is facing an International Boxing Association (AIBA) probe for returning her Asian Games bronze medal during the podium ceremony with the world governing body's supervisor describing her act as "regretful".
Celebrated Indian woman boxer L Sarita Devi comfortably outpunched Zsofia Bedo of Hungary to make a winning start to her professional career in the IBC Fight Night at the at the Khuman Lampak Stadium, in Imphal on Sunday.
Four-time world champion M C Mary Kom notched up her third Asian title while L Sarita Devi clinched her fourth, as Indian boxers finished fourth in the event with two gold, a silver and five bronze medals in Astana, Kazakhstan on Sunday.
Sachin Tendulkar said the whole idea behind his writing a letter to world boxing body AIBA was to save woman boxer L Sarita Devi's career from ending abruptly after the Asian Games controversy in Incheon.
Five-time world champion MC Mary Kom of Manipur punched her way into the final of the flyweight division while Haryana's Pinki Jangra stunned former world champion L Sarita Devi at the 12th Senior Women's National Boxing Championship in Bhopal.
An outraged Indian boxing contingent lodged a protest and demanded a review of L Sarita Devi's semi-final bout at the Asian Games after the veteran pugilist lost despite a dominating performance against home favourite Jina Park.
A tough road awaits veteran L Sarita Devi and rookie Manisha Moun as they open India's campaign at the AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships, in New Delhi, on Friday.
Sarita (60kg), who was banned for a year due to her emotional outburst at the Asian Games medal ceremony after losing a controversial semi-final bout, returned to the country from the Chinese city of Qian'an on Friday. The Manipuri fought three bouts and won two of them during the competition which featured rivals from hosts China, Korea, Mongolia and Thailand.
A remorseful L Sarita Devi appealed to the International Boxing Association to lift the provisional suspension imposed on her for refusing to accept the bronze medal at the Asian Games in Incheon, saying she deeply regrets her outburst on the podium and will never repeat it.
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She understands the emotion behind L Sarita Devi's tearful protest on the Asian Games podium but M C Mary Kom, who became the first Indian woman boxer to win gold at the mega-event, said faced with a similar crisis, she would have shown dissent differently.
Three Union ministers came out in support of boxer Sarita Devi as sports minister Sarbananda Sonowal sought a report from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on pugilist's controversial loss against Korean boxer in the semi-final of the Asian Games in Incheon.
Legendary sprinter Milkha Singh criticised boxer Sarita Devi for refusing to accept the bronze medal during the Incheon Asian Games victory ceremony last year, saying it was not proper to protest that way.
A memorandum to visiting Union Home Minister Amit A Shah, stated: 'Paramilitary forces might have been reluctant to prevent Kuki terrorists from attacking innocent civilians,' the news agency IANS reported.
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