Report lists Katie Taylor’s Rio OIympic defeat as ‘Suspicious’

Katie Taylor’s defeat at the Rio Olympic Games is another Irish-related fight on the ‘suspicious’ list.

The first stage of findings of an investigation, which was commissioned by the AIBA and fronted up by Richard McLaren, were published at a press conference in Lausanne last week.

The report revealed ‘an informal bout manipulation system’ existed and highlighted Michael Conlan’s bantamweight medal clash with Russia’s Vladimir Nikitin among those deemed “suspicious”.

In fact that bantamweight quarter-final was cited as one of two bouts that were “the catalyst for the house of cards to come crashing down” in terms of the negative publicity and subsequent action regarding the officiating of boxing in Rio.

Conlan’s reaction and the blatant nature of the robbery made him the ‘robbed’ poster boy of that Games.

However, the investigation, which uncovered evidence of ‘corruption, bribery and the manipulation of sporting results’ has also labeled Taylor’s early Olympic exit ‘suspicious’.

Taylor’s defeat to talented Fin and serial Irish heartbreaker Mia Potkonen was another that merits further investigation according to the report.

There was more shock than anger with regard to the now undisputed lightweight champions pre medal stage exit. There were no massive claims of robbery at the time but with the level of corruption becoming more and more evident some have asked questions about Joe Ward and Taylor’s exits.

At the time respected coach Zaur Antia was adamant Taylor’s hand should have been raised.

“She won,” he said. “She had good skills, sidesteps, clean punches, what else she can do now? Katie hit more, two times more, than she got hit.

Taylor said: “I guess I thought she probably won the second round but I thought the other three went my way but it’s hard to call. I should be beating those girls. I don’t know what to say about it, those girls shouldn’t be beating me.

“It was a long wait over here for a fight but I can’t blame that, I prepared very well. But it’s hard to keep that level of consistency going. Every fight is a close one, the judging is very subjective, it’s very hard to call it.”