Indian boxers to miss Chemistry Cup in Germany after visa delay; BFI promises compensation

New Delhi: Indian boxers will miss the Chemistry Cup in Germany after not getting the visas on time but the national federation has assured that the pugilists will be compensated by being sent for another event soon.

A 10-member new-look team, which included two Asian youth medallists, was to travel to Halle, Germany on late Sunday evening for the 44th edition of the tournament.

But the plan was thrown haywire after their visas could not come through.

“The visas could not come because we got to know quite late that the applications for Schengen visas are now supposed to be filed from the region to which you belong. We were used to a centralised process which could be done from Delhi,” Boxing Federation of India (BFI) President Ajay Singh told PTI.

“But this time, we were told that the applications had to be routed through the regional centres from where the boxers came. Some time was lost in the process and therefore visas did not come in time. From now on, we will ensure that visa procurement procedure is started 15 days in advance,” he added.

Singh said the boxers, who were sent back from the national capital on Sunday, will soon be sent to compete in another tournament.

“The boys who were selected for this tournament will be sent for another event very soon, in fact, in the next fortnight itself. They should not feel disheartened, we are already in talks for a couple of invitational tournaments in the next 20 days,” he asserted.

The boxers for this tournament were picked exclusively from the Aurangabad camp, which is under the tutelage of Shiv Singh, one of the two chief coaches assigned with the male boxers.

The Asian youth silver-medallists in the team were Ankush Dahiya (60kg) and Reyal Puri (81kg).

The Chemistry Cup will be held from 13 to 18 March.