Having never lost a bout in India for almost eight years, four-time boxing world champion MC Mary Kom may be forgiven for not remembering what it feels like to be at the receiving end. On Monday, however, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardee got more than she bargained for. Not only did she lose to Pinky Jingra of Haryana on countback in the quarter-finals of the national women’s boxing championship, she was also suspended for a month for using “unsporting language” against the judges.

However, the 27-year-old said she was not officially informed about the suspension by the officials, and blamed certain officials for sabotaging her results.

“I have neither been told personally about the suspension nor given any reasons; I was told by my husband only later that the officials have reportedly suspended me from all boxing activities,” Mary Kom told The Indian Express from Jamshedpur. Mary lost 1-4 on countback after being tied on 15-15 in the 46 kg category.

“This is their (officials) way of humiliating me and taking revenge. It all began in the morning during the weigh-in, when Rekha, a junior official, stopped me very rudely from taking a bottle of water inside. I asked her to be a little polite and explained that even in international meets things are not so strict. But she and another official — Vidya Rawat — behaved very badly,” she said.

Mary Kom also alleged that one of the referees for her bout — Narottam Rawat — was Vidya’s husband and the three officials — incidentally, all from Delhi — together ensured she lost.

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