JOIN USIndian pugilists’ participation in the forthcoming Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, could be in jeopardy if Boxing India elections are not held on the stipulated date of September 11.
SAI Executive Director (Teams) Sudhir Setia said that no country was willing to invite the Indian pugilists for training ever since world body AIBA dissolved the national federation.
“It is for this reason that our boxers couldn’t get exposure trips and now our medals tally from the discipline in the Commonwealth Games has also been affected. Cuba, which has helped Indian boxing in the last 10 years, was reluctant to host Indian boxers when we were planning to send them there,” Setia told reporters.
“If the boxing body fails to conduct the elections within the time frame (Sept 11) given by the AIBA to conduct the elections, there is a very good possibility that we may not be able to field our boxers. In fact, at the Commonwealth Games, there was a fear that we may not be able to win a single medal because of the lack of foreign training for our boxers.”
SAI Director General Jiji Thomson said it was understood the electionS would be held soon after the Commonwealth Games and the delay might draw the ire of AIBA.