Spain's Enmanuel Reyes Pla was happy to have a bronze medal around his neck after 24 years without an Olympic boxing podium for his country, but he was also filled with anger and confusion. His performance in the ring had been strong, and he felt confident of victory until the judges decided that his opponent, Loren Berto, who had been dancing and controlling the timing of the fight without attacking, was the winner and would advance to the final.

Speaking to Eurosport after the fight, Reyes Pla criticized the referees. "I feel good, even though the result was not the ideal one. Boxing is going downhill because of the referees; I don't know what they're scoring. I'm happy to have an Olympic medal. I wanted to change its color, but the referees wouldn't let me. I thought I was better than my opponent. But they decide," said Reyes.

It wasn't just the Spanish corner that believed they had won. Many fans in the arena thought so too, and the decision came as a surprise. However, this controversy is not new in boxing. Reyes Pla himself made statements to Spanish site Relevo before traveling to Paris, where he suspected something like this might happen.

"The judges talk. Give me a point and I'll help you with yours... it's not that you know it's happening, you see it there and you know you're going into the ring with a point less," he said. Boxing has always been haunted by what the 'prophet', as the boxer is known, said. Throughout history, there has been talk of fixed fights or highly controversial decisions. Boxing is running away from this dark legend in an attempt to regain trust.

At the Rio 2016 Games, complaints multiplied and many changes were made to the structures. Complaints about refereeing are nothing new. After the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, there were still doubts, just as after Tokyo 2020. Amidst all this, the International Boxing Association, was expelled and stripped of its recognition by the IOC last year. 

However, the work of the refereeing body was again called into question in the recent pre-Olympic period.The IBA introduced innovations and improvements to make referees much more professional and to provide them with the knowledge to be increasingly well trained. Today, it continues to focus on the training of referees.

Since the IOC withdrew recognition from the IBA, the IOC itself has organised the Olympic tournaments and the Paris 2024 Games, but doubts remain. The future of boxing in the Games depends on the re-establishment of an IOC-recognised governing body. This will be one of the key issues from September onwards.

As part of the transparency process initiated a few years ago to demonstrate its proper functioning and reclaim governance, the IBA proposed a review system. If a result was controversial, countries could appeal. Five judges, different from those involved in the dispute, would reassess the result, and the decision would be binding. 

It was a way for independent judges to intervene, and their decision would inspire confidence. It seemed to be a good way of resolving any possible doubts. However, it was the IOC that scrapped it, even though it was a measure that would have brought transparency to the judging.

Reyes Pla's coach, Rafa Lozano, the last Spanish boxer to win a medal, did not want to entirely blame the judges' mistrust and possible lack of impartiality after the fight. Lozano pointed to possible fatigue from having to score so many fights in a row. Reyes Pla's bout was the 199th fight. Although Reyes Pla had clearly won the first round, three judges gave the victory to the Azerbaijani.
 "I don't want to say they steal or they don't steal. They're tired and don't have the right vision," said Lozano, as quoted by Relevo.

In boxing, much like in rhythmic or artistic gymnastics, everything depends on the judges' interpretation. They rely on a single code that all the competitors and coaches share and know, but they are the ones who have to apply it..