New Delhi: The ad hoc committee on boxing formed by the world governing body AIBA to run the sport in the country is planning to hold men's and women's national championships in the next two months.
With the Olympic qualifying events coming up in a few months' time, the AIBA ad hoc committee has asked the stakeholders to make suggestions on how to hold these championships so that it can take decisions in its meeting to be held soon.
"We are left with following options to allow boxers based in all parts of the country an opportunity to compete in a meet or meets to showcase their skills and attract selectors' gaze to get selected in the preparatory India camps for further graduation...And also to acquire certification to bag various educational or vocational job opportunities," ad hoc committee chairman Kishen Narsi said in a letter addressed to 'Indian Boxing Family Members'.
"Option A: Organising a National Championships (who will host the same?/will the host get all the grants and support for a national meet?/will we get railway concession vouchers?/ which body will organise the same?/who will sign the certificates?/will these certificates be recognised?)
"Option B: Organising an All India Championships under the auspices of Ad Hoc Committee + SAI combine (depending upon assistance that SAI can offer).
"Option C: National Talent Hunt Pogramme wherein we ask all boxers (who are present or past state champions in youth and elite or medallists at all India University meets in 2013 and 2014) to come for trials at 4 or 8 SAI centres across India to get selected for India Camp," the letter said.
According to Narsi, the tentative dates for these events could be October 27-31 for men's Elite and Youth as the second Olympic Qualifier is in China in March next year. Another all- India/national meet can be thought of in April next year for the final phase of Olympic Qualifier to be held in Azerbaijan in June next year.
The tentative dates for women Elite and Youth are November 15-22 as Olympic Qualifiers are in Kazakhstan in February and in China in March next year.
"Dear Boxing family member, rather than wasting time on
whatever has happened or the blame game, let us now concentrate on what we have and what we can do in given circumstances," Narsi said in the letter.
"And therefore we seek your opinion as the same will will be tabled in our coming Ad Hoc Committee Meeting in a forthnight. Kindly revert before coming Sunday as it will help us to compile all such suggestions and recommendations for all further processes. We will certainly involve boxing family members from all parts of India to keep moving ahead steadily in the present difficult situation," he said.
About the current mess in boxing, Narsi said, "Our earlier governing body Indian Amateur Boxing Federation is disaffiliated and derecognised body by both AIBA and GOI but it is still recognised by IOA.
"Our newly founded body Boxing India is clearly divided into groups and factions and more so is under doubts about its control, ownership, registration, bank account etc... And most importantly it is now under provisional suspension by AIBA and derecognised by GOI as it considers BI as a defunct body. IOA had also refused to recognise BI," the letter said.
"Now AIBA has constituted an Ad Hoc Committee to look after Indian Boxing's common minimum priority programmes that include boxers' participation internationally primarily with Rio Olympics in mind so as to not to punish the boxers. Unfortunately, the situation has worsened on home front, AIBA has further asked Ad Hoc Committee also to look after more issues including a fresh election as per AIBA control and directions."
