Arundhati named as reserve boxer, Delhi HC issues notice to BFI, Ministry

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 10

Boxer Arundhati Choudhary can claim a moral victory after the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) informed the Delhi High Court that her name has been sent as a reserve player for the women’s World Boxing Championships.

Arundhati had approached the Delhi High Court after BFI entered Tokyo Olympics bronze medal winner Lovlina Borgohain’s name without giving her a fair trial despite her winning the National Championships gold medal in the 70kg weight division.

On Wednesday, Justice Rekha Palli, hearing the matter, issued a notice to BFI and the Sports Ministry in this matter seeking their response in this regard.

BFI had announced that only those boxers who will participate in the Nationals and perform will be selected for the World Championships. However, the body made an exemption for Lovlina. Arundhati’s counsel Sandeep Lamba argued that as her client had won the Nationals, she should have been selected for the tournament. However, Hrishikesh Barua, who was representing BFI, in his submission, said that Arundhati’s name has been entered as a reserve boxer for the World Championships. The matter will be heard again on November 22.

Reacting to the development, the boxing federation has said that the decision to include Lovlina was disclosed to all its state associations much before the women’s Nationals, which were held in Hisar

“...This decision was taken in the light of the fact that there was very little gap between Olympics and Elite Women’s Championships that was held in Hisar. Ms Lovlina needed time as to well to recuperate after Tokyo Olympics,” the BFI said in a statement.

“BFI represented by Adv Hrishikesh Barua and Parth Goswami informed the honourable Court that the said decision was communicated to all state associations via email dated 04.10.21.much before the championship at Hisar started. The BFI has nothing against the petitioner and has in fact included her name as a reserve player,” the statement added.

Covid scare: World Championships postponed

New Delhi: Next month’s women’s World boxing Championships in Istanbul were today postponed till March 2022 by the sport’s governing body AIBA, which said the “Covid situation is too difficult at present” and it cannot take the risk to proceed with the event. The tournament was tentatively planned from December 4 to 18 in Istanbul. Turkey has been logging cases in excess of 25,000 regularly. For the first time ever, AIBA announced a prize money fund of $2.4 million for medal winners across 12 weight categories. pti