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ప్రపంచ ఛాంపియన్షిప్ క్వార్టర్స్లో మేరీకోమ్
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Published : Oct 8, 2019, 5:45 PM IST
రష్యాలోని ఉలాన్-ఉద్ వేదికగా జరుగుతున్న ప్రపంచ మహిళల బాక్సింగ్ ఛాంపియన్షిప్లో సత్తా చాటుతోంది భారత స్టార్ బాక్సర్ మేరీకోమ్. ప్రీ క్వార్టర్స్లో థాయన్లాండ్ క్రీడాకారిణి జుటామస్పై నెగ్గి క్వార్టర్స్కు చేరింది.
మేరీ కోమ్
ప్రపంచ మహిళల బాక్సింగ్ ఛాంపియన్షిప్లో భారత బాక్సర్ మేరీకోమ్ దూసుకెళ్తోంది. రష్యాలోని ఉలాన్-ఉద్ వేదికగా జరుగుతున్న ఈ టోర్నీలో క్వార్టర్స్కు చేరిందీ స్టార్ క్రీడాకారిణి. 51 కేజీల విభాగంలో బరిలోకి దిగిన ఆమె.... థాయ్లాండ్కు చెందిన జుటామస్ జిట్పాంగ్పై ప్రీక్వార్టర్స్లో నెగ్గింది.
మంగళవారం జరిగిన మ్యాచ్లో 5-0 తేడాతో థాయ్ క్రీడాకారిణిపై గెలిచింది మేరీ. తొలి రౌండ్ ఆరంభం నుంచే దూకుడు ప్రదర్శించిన భారత బాక్సర్... చివరి వరకు అదే జోరు కొనసాగించింది.
ఇప్పటికే 48 కేజీల విభాగంలో భారత బాక్సర్ మంజురాణి క్వార్టర్ ఫైనల్లో అడుగుపెట్టింది. సోమవారం జరిగిన ప్రీ క్వార్టర్స్లో సెడెనో(వెనుజువెలా)ను ఓడించింది.
ఇదీ చదవండి: జహీర్పై హార్దిక్ వెటకారం... ఫ్యాన్స్ ఆగ్రహం!
ప్రపంచ మహిళల బాక్సింగ్ ఛాంపియన్షిప్లో భారత బాక్సర్ మేరీకోమ్ దూసుకెళ్తోంది. రష్యాలోని ఉలాన్-ఉద్ వేదికగా జరుగుతున్న ఈ టోర్నీలో క్వార్టర్స్కు చేరిందీ స్టార్ క్రీడాకారిణి. 51 కేజీల విభాగంలో బరిలోకి దిగిన ఆమె.... థాయ్లాండ్కు చెందిన జుటామస్ జిట్పాంగ్పై ప్రీక్వార్టర్స్లో నెగ్గింది.
మంగళవారం జరిగిన మ్యాచ్లో 5-0 తేడాతో థాయ్ క్రీడాకారిణిపై గెలిచింది మేరీ. తొలి రౌండ్ ఆరంభం నుంచే దూకుడు ప్రదర్శించిన భారత బాక్సర్... చివరి వరకు అదే జోరు కొనసాగించింది.
ఇప్పటికే 48 కేజీల విభాగంలో భారత బాక్సర్ మంజురాణి క్వార్టర్ ఫైనల్లో అడుగుపెట్టింది. సోమవారం జరిగిన ప్రీ క్వార్టర్స్లో సెడెనో(వెనుజువెలా)ను ఓడించింది.
ఇదీ చదవండి: జహీర్పై హార్దిక్ వెటకారం... ఫ్యాన్స్ ఆగ్రహం!
RESTRICTION SUMMARY: AP CLIENTS ONLY
SHOTLIST:
ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY
Bucharest - 4 October 2019
1. Wide of Chief European Prosecutor, Laura Codruta Kovesi, in her office
2. Kovesi during interview
3. Cutaway of camera
4. Cutaway of hands
5. SOUNDBITE (Romanian) Laura Codruta Kovesi, European chief prosecutor:
"I think all European states realized that this is a Europe-wide phenomena - the illegal use of European funds - and that they need a unified approach in investigating them. Probably this was the common point between the majority of the member states, because there is now a certain discussion on whether the competence of this prosecutor office will be extended for facts like terrorism, but the Lisbon treaty mentioned clearly the formation of this institution for the investigation of fraud with EU funds."
6. Kovesi seen though camera viewfinder
7. SOUNDBITE (Romanian) Laura Codruta Kovesi, European chief prosecutor:
"If you are afraid or hesitant as a prosecutor, you need to change jobs. As a prosecutor you know that this is your role: to fight against the ones that commit criminal acts. Those who commit crimes are not exactly the nicest people, so you have to expect some 'blowback. I can't really really say ''I'm trained' after what happened in Romania during the last two years, but I think that what I have gone through during the last two years - that is, the attack I went through, the pressure, harassment that targeted me and my colleagues in the anti-corruption directorate, we were threatened publicly, insulted, humiliated both us and our families - so the fact that I resisted is one more element that shows I will resist further on. No matter what the pressure, I will do my job."
8. Kovesi talking to reporters
9. SOUNDBITE (Romanian) Laura Codruta Kovesi, European chief prosecutor:
"The last two years have brought on a massive and very aggressive attack against the judicial system (in Romania). It was clear for us when we started the activity at the anti-corruption directorate that our action will have a counter-reaction. But what came back to the judicial system was a massive attack, extremely large, repeatedly, from several directions. Laws were amended, prosecutors and judges were attacked and humiliated, there was a true campaign of disciplinary actions against personnel. There were attacks on those who were being investigated or on some politicians, attacks on institutions or persons."
10. Cutaway of hands
11. SOUNDBITE (Romanian) Laura Codruta Kovesi, European chief prosecutor:
"I found out (about the successful candidacy for European chief prosecutor) from the media, because I didn't attend that meeting. I saw the news, then I called various people that work in EU institutions to get a confirmation of the vote. I was obviously happy and I received this vote as a sign of support and encouragement for the prosecutors and judges in Romania in the first place. I think it's an appreciation for how our justice system fought against corruption, but, more importantly, an appreciation of all Romanians who supported the rule of law and European values in the last couple of years."
12. Kovesi in front of camera
13. SOUNDBITE (Romanian) Laura Codruta Kovesi, European chief prosecutor:
"When I had the confirmation, I first called my mother."
14. Cutaway of hands on desk
15. SOUNDBITE (Romanian) Laura Codruta Kovesi, European chief prosecutor:
"You know why I smile? Because during the last four years I think I was asked hundreds of times if I would enter politics. Every time I said 'no! no! no!' Nobody believed me. I will be very clear, I want to remain in the justice system, this is where I wish to stay. But with all this I was not believed, I don't know why. Any activity I did slightly out of the professional frame was interpreted differently, I had some meetings with students during some educational programmes and this was appreciated as an electoral campaign. But I will be very clear, my wish is to stay in the justice system, I've been a prosecutor for 24 years and I am 46 - so half my life I was a prosecutor. It is something I have been doing with passion. That is why I applied for this candidacy, because I wanted to be a prosecutor as well in the future and to contribute with my experience to something important. And indeed, having a new European institution for prosecutors to investigate at an European level is something important and I feel I can be part of this project."
16. Kovesi in her office
17. Wide of Parliament building
STORYLINE:
For Romania's Laura Codruta Kovesi, opposition to her successful candidacy for Chief European Prosecutor came from a familiar source - her own country's government.
Kovesi, who will lead the 28-nation bloc's new public prosecutor's office, is well placed to deal with any political pressure coming her way.
She spent five years as the head of the Romanian Anti-corruption Directorate — known as the DNA — achieving remarkable results.
Those indicted included 14 Cabinet members, 53 lawmakers and a member of the European Parliament, among others.
Still, she was removed by the governing Social Democrats in July 2018, an act many in Romania believe was political retaliation for her department's successes.
With Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila and others openly advocating against her, Kovesi called her EU appointment a vote of confidence for all prosecutors and judges in her country.
"I think it's an appreciation for how our justice system fought against corruption, but, more importantly, an appreciation of all Romanians who supported the rule of law and European values in the last couple of years," Kovesi said in an interview with The Associated Press.
Kovesi, 46, became Romania's youngest Prosecutor General in 2006 and served for six years before her stint at the DNA.
Now, she will direct the European Public Prosecutor's Office - or EPPO - tasked with investigating fraud connected to the use of EU funds and other financial crimes.
The Luxembourg-based office is expected to begin operations late next year.
A report released in January by the European Court of Auditors revealed that the EU lost nine billion euros (9.88 billion US dollars) between 2002 and 2017 to fraud, of which only 2.6 billion euros were recovered based on investigations conducted by OLAF, the European Anti-Fraud Office.
So far, 22 of the 28 EU member states have decided to participate in EPPO, with Sweden also thinking about joining the office, which will be the bloc's first institution for prosecutors meant to achieve a consolidated approach across member states in fighting fraud committed with EU funds.
"I think all European states realised that this is a Europe-wide phenomena - the illegal use of European funds - and that they need a unified approach" to investigate, Kovesi said.
Her reputation and achievements as head of the Romania's anti-corruption office were welcomed in Western Europe, but Hungary and Poland, for instance, are not taking part in EPPO.
Romania did sign on, but its government did everything it could to prevent Kovesi from getting the job.
Prime Minister Viorica Dancila even publicly instructed Romania's EU ambassador to vote against Kovesi.
"The ultimate consensus over my candidacy, I think, is a sign for our justice system," Kovesi said. "If you do your job in a professional manner, you will succeed."
Before Dancila, former Social Democratic strongman Liviu Dragnea was the driving force behind the campaign against Kovesi.
Dragnea and his parliamentary majority changed laws and tried to undermine judicial independence. His actions, before being convicted and going to jail for corruption in May, were widely criticized by the EU.
Kovesi wasn't even wholeheartedly endorsed by former President Traian Basescu, who had appointed her to lead the DNA in 2013, who said Kovesi had done "a lot of harm" to Romania's judicial system - comments that came after the DNA investigated his brother and sent him to jail.
Massive anti-corruption protests have become common in Romania, with Kovesi's image and her LCK initials on posters and t-shirts turning into a symbol of the country's battle against graft while President Klaus Iohannis and opposition parties have taken credit for backing Kovesi for her new EU role.
Despite her popularity, Kovesi vehemently rejected running for office, saying she had been asked hundreds of times about it.
"Every time I said 'no! no! no!' Nobody believed me," Kovesi said. "I will be very clear, I want to remain in the justice system."
Still, since her ousting the DNA hasn't been making headlines like it used to, so Europe's gain may be Romania's loss.
Kovesi declined to comment directly on the recent performance of Romania's anti-corruption prosecutors - the great majority of whom are the same ones as during Kovesi's tenure - but noted the challenges faced by prosecutors seeking to clean up politics.
"The last two years have brought on a massive and very aggressive attack against the judicial system", Kovesi said.
"Laws were amended, prosecutors and judges were attacked and humiliated, there was a true campaign of disciplinary actions against personnel. You can very well imagine that this sort of things could influence the efficiency of a judicial body."
Kovesi herself was a target of intimidation and pressure attempts.
In 2016, former Mossad agents working for private security contractor Black Cube were arrested and convicted of hacking communications of people close to her.
"If you are afraid or hesitant as a prosecutor, you need to change jobs", Kovesi said. "Those who commit crimes are not exactly the nicest people, so you have to expect some blowback".
"No matter what the pressure, I will do my job", Kovesi said.
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