Thais cry foul over judging

DOHA, Dec 14 (Reuters) Thailand's boxing chief has blamed biased and poor judging for his team's flop at the Asian Games, where they won a solitary gold medal.

Taweep Jantararoj, the president of Thailand's Amateur Boxing Association, said a combination of incompetent and biased judging had cost several of his highly-rated fighters gold medals.

With former world and Olympic champions on the team, the kingdom had been expecting to pick up four golds in Doha, but instead ended up fourth in the medals table with only one victory.

Taweep, a retired army general, said he was proud of his boxers for the way they performed.

''I'm not disappointed with my boys because I knew what way the decisions would go here,'' he told Reuters.

''Some of these people were not good judges and we were drawn them every time. They don't know the rules properly and they need to improve.'' Flamboyant fighter Manus Boonjumnong -- the reigning Olympic light welterweight champion -- won the Thais' only gold, while world champion Somjit Jongjohor and newcomers Angkhan Chomphuphuang and Suban Pannon had to settle for silvers.

Athens Olympic bantamweight silver medallist Worapoj Petchkoom won bronze after going out at the semi-final stage.

Taweep said Thailand were the leading force in Asian boxing and likened his team to Cuba, who have dominated the amateur fight game for decades.

''We are a very good team, everyone is afraid of us,'' he said.

''We are like the Cuba of Asia.

''Some of the judges know this and they're biased against us.'' He said Thailand's fighters, most of whom are former kickboxing champions from impoverished backgrounds, will have their chance to shine at the Olympics in Beijing in 2008.

''There will be better judging there for sure,'' he said. ''Those guys know a good fighter from a bad one.'' Uzbekistan topped the boxing medals chart ahead of China, the Philippines and Thailand.

REUTERS SAM ND1500