India’s boxing star Vijender Singh’s decision to go professional is likely to cost him his job with the Haryana Police.A day after the boxing star announced his new career move, Haryana Sports Minister Anil Vij on Tuesday hinted that the State Government is contemplating some form of action.Talking to mediapersons, the Minister said that Vijender was given a job of Deputy Superintendent in the Haryana Police Department because he represented the country in the international arena.
Now, as he would no longer be able to represent the country after going professional, the State Government will have to reconsider that decision, Vij said.The boxer was also reportedly extended several benefits by the State Government so that he could train himself harder and compete at the national and international levels.Vij added, “As there is no clause in such situations in the sports policy, the Government is contemplating to take some form of action. The sportspersons having jobs with the State Government department cannot just walk away from representing the country… They should play for the nation and if not, the Government will rethink.”
Vijender’s decision to go professional was announced on Monday when the boxer signed a multi-year deal with Queensberry Promotions through IOS Sports and Entertainment, that will see the middleweight champion fight a minimum of six times in the first year.The deal makes the Olympic bronze medalist ineligible for amateur competitions. This means that the 2008 Beijing Olympics bronze medalist will not participate in next year’s Rio Olympics or compete for the nation for the duration of his deal.
In a sensational career, Vijender won silver at the 2006 and 2014 Commonwealth Games, bronze at the 2006 Asian Games, 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2009 World Amateur Championships and 2010 Commonwealth Games, besides a gold at the 2010 Asian Games.In 2013, the boxing hero’s name had figured in a case related to major seizure of drugs and other narcotics in Punjab. He was scanned by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for heroin consumption but later, was given a clean-chit.Recently, Vijender acted in the Bollywood movie Fugly.