Commonwealth Games scandal erupts as boxer distraught and TV commentators stunned

England’s Dimeji Shittu was left upset by the decision following the contest in Glasgow

Controversy has erupted at the Commonwealth Games after England’s Dimeji Shittu had to settle for silver following a controversial defeat by India’s Ankush Panghal.

Despite appearing to have had the better of his opponent in Glasgow, it was Panghal who was awarded the gold in the men’s 80kg boxing final.

The Englishman won the first round convincingly and forced Panghal to receive a count.

But things turned in the second; Shittu was handed a two-point deduction for holding and hitting, in the second and third rounds respectively, with the judges scoring the bout 4-1 in the Indian’s favour.

Four of the judges awarded Panghal the final round.

The result left the 24-year-old visibly emotional and TNT Sport commentators completely stunned, while the crowd booed the confirmation when it was announced.

“Shocking, terrible, totally robbed,” said co-commentator Richie Woodhall. “He [Ankush] certainly had the referee on his side there and the referee has cost Dimeji Shittu the contest.

“He’s been robbed there, I really feel for him.

“How did [Ankush] win that last round on the judges’ scores? That is absolutely terrible. Shocking decision. Totally robbed and that’s not sour grapes.”

Former Commonwealth Games gold medallist boxer Delicious Orie echoed Woodhall’s frustrations, adding that AI scoring would be one way to improve scoring in boxing.

He also added that the lack of warnings to Shittu was a head-scratcher.

“In my opinion, it was a total robbery,” he said in the TNT Sports studio. “I think the referee has stripped that gold medal from Dimeji.

“There’s this thing in boxing, because it’s subjective, the refereeing is subjective, the judging is subjective… I’ve been hearing stories that it would be good to potentially add AI judging into boxing.

“I wouldn’t necessarily be against it because then it becomes an objective sport. In track and field, you’re running to the line, you can’t argue with time.

“If I knew there was a specific set of scoring, then bring AI, because I would follow that scoresheet instead of someone else’s opinion. That can be the difference, as we’ve seen here, between a gold and silver medal.

“It’s a real shame for Dimeji. He scored some really good points, he pushed his opponent back. I don’t know what the referee was thinking. There weren’t even any warnings, so to give him two point deductions really doesn’t make any sense to me.

“I’m no ref, but speaking to Dimeji, stopping the fight, looking him in the face and saying ‘don’t do it again’. That’s enough for him to not do it again. Essentially stripping that gold medal is no good.”

Shittu himself refused to blame the referee. He said after the fight: “A lot of people might say this about the referee, the judging, but at the end of the day I can only blame myself.

“Those are the rules. We live and we learn. At the end of the day, it’s a foul in amateur boxing. It cost me the fight.

“If people think I should have got the decision, fair play, I understand.

“But if I’m sitting here blaming judges, blaming refs, I’m not going to get better.”