Controversial decisions dent Thai boxing hopes
As the semi-finals of the SEA Games boxing competition ended yesterday, the Thai boxing squad fell one short of their targetted haul of six gold medals.
A total of five Thai boxers reached finals in Singapore, but the mighty Apichet Saensit had his left land broken.
With eight fighters in the semi-finals yesterday, only five Thais could manage to make it to tomorrow’s finals at the biennial tournament, which denied them any chance of bringing home the expected six gold medals.
Pichai Junhavachira, president of the Thailand Boxing Association, expressed his dismay at controversial decisions that cost some of his fighters places in the finals.
“Such rulings are not much different from that of the past editions of the Games, but these are hard to accept in some bouts.” said the president, who before the Games set a six-gold medal target, four men and two women.
Asked about the remaining five boxers in the finals, Pichai said they must try their best and the fans will decide who is the winner. “Sometimes, I am really afraid of the way referees’ decisions go.”
The five Thais to reach the finals of the 11-gold medal competition are Tanes Ongjunta (56kg), Wuttichai Masuk (64kg), Aphisit Khankhokkruea (75kg), Chuthamat Raksat (48kg) and Tassamalee Thongjan (57kg).
Three losers in yesterday’s semi-finals were Sopida Satumrum (51kg), Apichet (69kg) and Saylom Ardee (60kg).
Thailand’s technical chief Somyot Julsen was also disappointed with the controversial decisions and hoped that the fans would be understanding. He said Apichet had successfully outpunched his Filipino rival but still emerged as the loser. “It is unbelievable. It was a lop-sided match. All the decisions here have been quite poor.”
Apichet was later diagnosed to have a broken hand, probably the result of a hard punch to the head his semi-final opponent.
In the finals, Tassamalee faces Christina Jembay of Indonesia, Chutamas fights Josie Gabuco of the Philippines in the women’s events. Tanes is up against Mario Fernandez of the Philippines, Asian Games gold medallist Wuttichai meets Ratha Ven of Cambodia and Aphisit takes on Dinh Hoang Truong of Vietnam.