‘I thought I won the fight’: Suchika Tariyal calls decision ‘unfair’ after losing Asian Games bantamweight semi-final

Suchika Tariyal reacts after Singapore’s Hui Hoon Teo takes victory in the semi-final (left) and Suchika Tariyal takes the victory lap with the tricolor after clinching the bronze medal Indian fighter Suchika Tariyal settled for a bronze medal in the traditional women’s 60kg mixed martial arts (MMA) event at the Asian Games on Monday after losing to Singapore’s Hui Hoon Teo in a dramatic semi-final on the flyweight rule.The bout ended in a draw after India’s appeal was upheld, but under International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) rules, the weight of the fighters recorded at the morning weigh-in decided the winner. Teo advanced to the finals, weighing 700 grams less than Suchika.A tablet computer or hardcover book is roughly equivalent to the difference in weight between the two fighters.The bronze medal is India’s first ever in MMA, making its Asian Games debut at the Aichi-Nagoya Games.The result left Suchik, 36, in tears on the mat after the final decision was announced in favor of Theo.The bronze also took India’s medal tally to six at the Games. Indian shooters have won four silver medals and one bronze so far.Hailing from Kiloi village in Rohtak district of Haryana, Suchika is the 2024 Jiu-Jitsu World Champion. She also represented India in judo at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and kurash at the 2022 Asian Games.Suchika said after the match that she believed she did enough to win.“I am a bit disappointed with the result of today’s fight because I thought I won the fight. I am not able to agree with the result. I said it is not fair,” said Suchika, according to PTI.“It’s not fair. Because if you look at a player, he or she gives 100 percent everywhere. And if you feel the decision is unfair, then it’s my right (to express my opinion).”“I won both rounds very well because I took her down. She didn’t even take me down. Yeah, it could have been two or three connecting shots. I also got a connecting shot. And in the last minute she was going back and forth. Then I used my kick. I hit her over and over again.”Asian Games full coverage | Schedule | Medal totalDespite her disappointment, Suchika said she was proud to become India’s first Asian Games medalist in MMA.“I gave 100 percent and worked hard to get here. I’m happy to win a bronze medal for the country.”The semi-final was originally awarded to Teo. India then challenged the result by asking for arbitration.MMA sports federation president Nikhil Kunder explained how the decision changed after the appeal.“We challenged the decision by paying an arbitration fee of USD 1,000. Three new umpires were added (to the earlier three) to arbitrate and re-score the match. When these three new umpires came, the match ended in a draw,” Kunder told news agency PTI.He said Singapore then had two options under IMMAF rules.“The Singapore team had the option of either doing a counter-arbitration where three more judges would come in and score the match again, or go to the weight that was accepted at the morning weigh-in. That’s the IMMAF (International Mixed Martial Arts Federation) rule.”Kunder said Suchika weighed around 59.2kg during the morning weigh-in, while Teo weighed 58.5kg, giving the Singaporean the win after the bout was declared a draw.