Thai Olympic chief seeks clarification on disputed Muaythai bout

The National Olympic Committee of Thailand (NOCT) president, Pimol Srivikorn, is set to summon the Amateur Muaythai Association of Thailand (AMTAT) to seek clarification over allegations of result rigging at the national martial arts competition during the recently concluded 33rd SEA Games.

The move comes after Pimol received a petition from renowned promoter Nuttadaj Vachirarattanawong and athlete Arissara Noon-eiad, who was on the receiving end of what appeared to be a dubious decision in her title bout against Filipino opponent Islay Erika Bomogao.

Arissara’s controversial defeat sparked intense allegations of result manipulation and claims that medals were allocated unfairly among participating countries at the region’s biennial multisport tournament.

After hearing from affected parties, including the athlete herself, and holding discussions with a representative from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), who attended the competition as an observer, Pimol stressed the need to address what he described as a “suspicious incident.”

“As the NOCT president, my mandate is not only to send our athletes to compete, but also to be someone they can turn to both before and after tournaments. The honour and dignity of Thai athletes must be protected,” Pimol said.

“While nothing can be done to change the result now, the issue must be clarified to ensure it does not happen again,” he added, citing concerns raised by the IOC representative.

“Muaythai, our national martial art, is being viewed in a negative light on the international stage. The IOC representative, who witnessed the competition firsthand, also raised suspicions about the result, as the Thai fighter appeared to perform better. This could affect efforts to push Muaythai toward inclusion in the Olympic Games,” Pimol said.

While expressing relief that her complaint has been addressed by Thai sports authorities, Arissara revealed that the incident led her to decide to step away from amateur Muaythai and focus on her professional career.

“I feel somewhat relieved after senior figures from the national Olympic committee stepped in to look into the matter. Although I have accepted the final result, my regret still lingers because I had my sights set on the gold medal and was confident in my performance,” she said.

“It felt like I was cheated, and I was devastated by the outcome. I hope this does not happen to other athletes. Given the incident, I have decided to stop competing in amateur events and focus on my professional career,” Arissara added.

It has been reported that Pimol will summon the AMTAT president after the New Year to provide details and clarification regarding the allegations.