The News Minute | October 1, 2014 | 03:20 pm ISTSarita Devi came out strongly against a controversial decision made in her semi-final match against South Korean boxer Jina Park and refused her bronze medal at the 2014 Asian Games ceremony .Sarita who broke down on the podium during the ceremony refused the medal and handed it to Park, the same South Korean boxer against whom she played previously leading to a controversial match decision. According to news reports, Sarita clearly appeared more dominant of the two players, however the final decision was made in Park’s favour. MC Mary Kom who brought India her seventh gold medal with her Wednesday win at the Asian Games, supported Sarita saying "Of course she (Park) won because she is Korean," she told NDTV.A minute-by-minute account of what happened at the awards ceremony showed that Sarita initially put the bronze medal which she received around the South Korean’s neck after which the Korean requested her to take the medal back, said Firstpost. After initially refusing, Sarita eventually relented. However, she left the medal on the podium after the ceremony, said the report. "I felt that I should not accept the medal because I deserved to be in the final. I don't mind if they take any action against me. But I did not feel like accepting the medal and so I did that," said Sarita according to the report. Sarita did not even have the money to pay the $500 required to pay fees for lodging a complaint with the International Boxing Association (AIBA). She had to get the money from her coach and an Indian journalist, said New Indian Express.Watch the match in the alleged controversial decision was made.
