GMA News relates 'unfair' loss of RP jin at SEA Games taekwondo

Mary Antoinette Rivero of the Philippines was actually leading by three points in the early moments of the third round of her taekwondo match with Cassandra Haller of Thailand. She even managed to knock down her opponent five times. But she got no points for those moves. And suddenly, Haller started amassing points until they were tied at 5-all. In the last 30 seconds of the match, in the under-65-kilogram category, the referre even issued a warning on Rivero and deducted a point from her. So the match ended 7-4 in favor of Haller, who got the gold medal. This was how GMA's Josh Villanueva reported the incident Wednesday over Saksi, the station's late night news broadcast anchored by Arnold Clavio and Vicky Morales. In an interview with GMA News, head coach Stephen Fernandez said: "Unfortunately – you saw the match in the finals of Toni [Rivero's nickname] – somehow it was very lopsided in favor of Thailand." It was obviously a disappointing silver medal finish for Rivero, who just sagged to the floor after the match. The Filipino taekwondo players were so disgusted they walked out of the tournament venue, the Vongchavalitkul Hall in Nakhon Ratchasima. Coach Fernandez complained to the technical official about the officiating. But it was not a formal complaint. In an earlier report, aired over GMA's 24 Oras, Fernandez reportedly said that he feared that officials would pick on the other Filipino jins who still have matches to come. As outraged as the Filipinos were the Indonesians. In a GMA video footage aired over Saksi, some Indonesian jins approached Rivero. One of them was the head of the Indonesian Taekwondo Association, who told Rivero: "You Philippine. You number one. You good." - GMANews.TV