RTÉ’s boxing analysis panel of Bernard Dunne, Michael Carruth and Mick Dowling have torn into the state of amateur boxing following Michael Conlan’s controversial quarter-final loss to Vladimir Nikitin.
Speaking after Conlan’s own outraged post-fight interview, the trio all expressed similar indignation and disgust at the judges’ decision, which was a unanimous 29-28 in favour of the Russian fighter.
RTÉ rescheduled Crimecall in order to allow Ireland’s former boxing legends to vent Ireland’s collective frustration with the state of Olympic boxing.
“I don’t think I could have said it better myself. The judging in that first round was just ridiculous. AIBA needs to really look at itself, because that just really turns people off boxing. It turns us off boxing and we love the sport.”
Dowling was similarly baffled by the decision, remaking “If Michael Conlan didn’t win that then I know nothing about boxing.”
Dunne saddled the referee and judges of the fight with the responsibility, saying “That referee and all the judges in that fight, they should be suspended.”
Carruth, who himself won gold in 1992, said “You put your whole life into this moment and then all of a sudden, for it to be just ripped away the way it has been, no wonder he’s throwing allegations at AIBA. How can we keep our amateurs amateur if that keeps continuing to happen?”
Bernard Dunne succinctly summed up the feelings of anyone who watched the fight by saying “When officials make decisions like this, they need to be banned. Much like people when they’re caught taking drugs, when they’re caught cheating, you’re out, you’re gone.
“If you’re caught cheating as a referee and a judge, bang, out you go. Simple. And that’s what they should be doing, because those judges, they cheated.”
You can watch the thoughts of Dunne, Carruth and Dowling in full below.
'Amateur boxing stinks' – The RTÉ panel discusses Michael Conlan's controversial defeat https://t.co/miT6HjqUYn
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 16, 2016
