This was a cruel result for anyone in Ireland with even a passing interest in sport.
Ireland’s final remaining boxing medal hope Michael Conlan exited the Olympics in controversial circumstances when judges somehow ruled that Russia’s Vladimir Nikitin was the winner of their quarter-final bout in the 56kg division.
Thanks to some highly dubious judging, some poor performances and one failed drugs test Ireland’s boxing total will be a big, fat zero.
But there’s no doubt that Conlan’s defeat will be the hardest pill to swallow.
The Belfast fighter was absolutely certain that corruption in amateur boxing was at the root cause of his shock exit, as he very clearly explained in this brutally honest post-fight interview.
It was a huge disappointment for all Irish fans watching at home and Rio (as these incredulous reactions show) and none more so than those who had backed Conlan to win his second Olympic medal at these Games.
Thankfully, for them at least, Ladbrokes have announced that they will be paying out on Conlan as the winner of the fight, and also on bets placed on him to win a medal AND any wagers on him to win the Olympic Gold.
Hayley O’Connor of Ladbrokes said: “Conlan looked the winner in our book so we’re simply doing what we think is right.”
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