Indian boxers may not participate under national flag at Asian Games

NEW DELHI: Indian pugilists won five medals at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games recently to earn a good name for Indian boxing. But the situation has only worsened at the organizational level since the Indian boxing federation (IABF) was suspended by the world body in December 2012.
Deprived of international exposure for many months due to the ban, the boxers now face another grim prospect: they may not be allowed to participate under the Indian flag at the Incheon Asian Games, starting September 19, if the elections to elect the national body is not conducted on schedule.
"AIBA's stand is clear. If elections are delayed any further then there is a good chance that our boxers may not be allowed to participate under the Indian flag in Incheon," Sports Authority of India's director general Jiji Thomson said on Wednesday.
International Boxing Association (AIBA) had authorised Boxing India as the ad hoc body to conduct the elections and form a new federation at the earliest. The much delayed elections are scheduled for September 11 after being postponed from July 9 due to certain exigencies.
But, with the Indian Olympics Association (IOA) wading into the matter and seeking AIBA's permission to conduct the polls citing complaints from state bodies, a new twist and more uncertainty have been added to the imbroglio.
Thomson pointed out that the AIBA allowed Indian coaches and officials at the ringside in Glasgow only after an assurance that elections would be held soon. "Even the boxers are upset with the ongoing situation which is de moralizing for them."
Meanwhile, SAI executive director (Teams) Sudhir Setia said the situation has had an adverse effect on the boxers in the international arena and that no country was willing to host Indian boxers for training exposure.
"Cuba is the only country which has helped Indian boxers for the last 10 years but even they refused to invite our boxers this time. No country is willing to host Indian boxers because there is no federation," Setia pointed out.
"Despite the challenges, there hasn't been any shortcoming from our side. We have our foreign coaches in place but the only thing lacking is the international exposure," he added.