Nishant Dev robbed of a medal! Indian fans demand accountability from Paris 2024, blame judges and demand transparency
Although it seemed Nishant Dev was poised to compete in the medal rounds, the announcement of a victory for the blue corner left visible disappointment on his face.
Nishant Dev
At the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, controversy erupted following Indian boxer Nishant Dev's quarter-final defeat in the men's 71 kg category. Nishant lost 4-1 to Mexico's Marco Verde, despite dominating the first two rounds, which raised concerns about the fairness of the scoring system.
ALSO READ | Paris Olympics 2024: 10-man India edges out Great Britain in intense shoot-out, advances to semi-finals
Although it seemed Nishant was poised to compete in the medal rounds, the announcement of a victory for the blue corner left visible disappointment on his face. In the aftermath, many notable figures, including Bollywood star Randeep Hooda, former Olympic champion Vijender Singh, and JSW Group scion Parth Jindal, expressed their disapproval of the outcome.
In the quarterfinal match, the 23-year-old boxer from Karnal, Haryana won the first round with much ease, however, despite dominating in the second game, he got a split vote of 3-2 as the judges gave Verde the victory. Verde won in the end because the judges reached a unanimous verdict in the third round, awarding him 10 points total.
Nishant Dev scorecard
The controversial outcome has led to widespread discussions among fans and experts about the need for a review of the scoring system in Olympic boxing. Many took to X (formerly known as Twitter) calling for increased transparency and accuracy to ensure fair results for the athletes.
In contrast to other sports, boxers competing in the Olympics receive bronze medals even if they lose in the semifinals. To ensure that India won its first medal at the Paris Games without using a gun, Nishant only needed to win the quarterfinal. Before this fight, Nishant had defeated Jose Rodriguez of Ecuador via split decision, demonstrating his talent and willpower throughout his Olympic career.
Manu Bhaker also came very close to missing out on a historic third medal at the Paris Games as she finished 4th. Shooter Arjun Babuta placed fourth in the men's 10m air rifle event, while competitors Dhiraj Bommadevara and Ankita Bhakat placed fifth in the mixed team archery event.
Updated: August 04, 2024 05:03 PM IST
Please Subscribe us OnGoogle News