Korean boxer disqualified for slapping opponent

China's Lee Hye-kyeong was disqualified from the women's 48kg judo semi-final for slapping Abiba Abuzhakynova in the face.

The match between Lee and Abuzhakynova was tense. The score was still 0-0 with two minutes left. At this point, Lee slapped Abuzhakynova in the face. The Kazakh fighter turned away and lay on the floor, holding her face in pain.

Lee held his head in regret after learning that he was disqualified. Photo: Reuters

Lee approached to ask questions and patted his opponent on the back, but was pushed away by the referee. Abuzhakynova rolled around on the mat for a while before getting up, showing the referee the cut under her eye. After a discussion with his colleagues, the referee called the two fighters back to the ring and showed Lee a red card.

The Korean boxer burst into tears upon learning of the referee's decision, while her coach raised his hand in protest. Abuzhakynova came to shake Lee's hand and quickly left. Due to the disqualification, Lee was not allowed to participate in the third-place match. The other semi-final loser, Uzbek boxer Kurbonova Khalimajon, was awarded bronze. Thus, the Korean boxer's dream of winning a medal at the Asian Games went up in smoke.

Abuzhakynova entered the final match, met Japanese boxer Natsumi Tsunoda and lost with a score of 0-11. This is Japan's first gold medal at the 19th Asian Games.

Abuzhakynova with a headband after her fight with Lee in February. Photo: IJF

This is not the first time Abuzhakynova has been injured after a fight with Lee. In February, the Kazakh defeated the South Korean at the Paris Grand Prix but left the ring with a white bandage wrapped around her head.

Lee’s unfair behavior has also caused a stir online. The topic has been hotly discussed on China’s Weibo social media site, attracting over two million views.

One commenter said: "As a professional athlete, there's no way Lee would have done that. I think she just slipped and her opponent overreacted." Another wrote: "The reason for the slap doesn't matter, the referee made the right decision."

Duy Doan (according to South China Morning Post )

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