SAI lists BFI irregularities, suspends assessment camp in Patiala

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has suspended an assessment camp by the Boxing Federation of India in Patiala for “irregularities” but is open to granting a resumption if the body revamps its “opaque” selection process and answers “legitimate questions” on its criteria of picking coaches.

The suspension order was issued on Sunday evening after the BFI failed to respond to SAI’s “persistent queries on irregularities in the selection policy for boxers as well as coaches”, a well-placed SAI source said.

 The SAI said that it has been “bombarded” with complaints from boxers and coaches who have been adversely affected by the policy and the BFI’s “refusal to give a clear explanation” has not helped matters.

“Several complaints have landed at our doorstep, in which boxers are telling us that at this assessment camp, the bout results were not going to be immediately released. Instead, the BFI’s so-called High Performance Unit along with the selection committee, was going to have discussions and then decide who to pick,” the source said.

“The idea is against all norms of fair play, and if it ends up being challenged in a court of law, SAI would need a plausible explanation from the BFI. But they are not responding to queries and write to us only when they need approval for something that they want to do. Things don’t work in this manner,” he added.

“Even for coaches panel, we granted provisional approval but they are conveniently omitting the word provisional while trying to paint themselves as victims. Can they explain why have they not responded to repeated queries? Everything is documented at SAI.”

The Ajay Singh led BFI has maintained that it has always kept SAI in loop on selection policy-related matters and has got due approval from the nodal body.

So far, Sachin Siwach (60kg) among men, and Preeti Pawar (54kg), and Priya Ghanghas (60kg) among women have qualified for both the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games by reaching the finals of the Asian Championships held last month in Mongolia.

Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), and Arundhati Chaudhary (70kg) have secured slots for only the Commonwealth Games on the back of similar results as their weight categories do not feature in the Asiad.

The CWG is due to be held in July-August in Glasgow, followed by the Asiad in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan during September-October.

The CWG-approved weight categories for men are 55Kg, 60Kg, 65Kg, 70Kg, and +90Kg. For the women, the competition will take place in 51Kg, 54Kg, 57Kg, 60Kg, 65Kg, 70Kg, and 75Kg.

In the Asian Games, the men will fight it out in 55Kg, 60Kg, 70Kg, 80Kg, 90Kg, and +90 Kg).

The women’s draw will be limited to 51kg, 54kg, 60kg, 65kg, and 75kg.

The assessment camp in Patiala was to decide the categories that have not yet been locked for the twin mega events.

“Even today, if the BFI is able to explain itself and assure fair results for the boxers, they can go ahead and hold the camp. We are not trying to obstruct them but we can’t be turning a blind eye to the complaints that are coming.

“The BFI shared its panel of referees for the bouts at this camp only after we ordered suspension. The empanelment of coaches was done only after repeated reminders from SAI and in that too due process seems to have been ignored,” the SAI source said.

At the heart of the conflict is the recent Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Cup held in Pune where, according to SAI, boxers who are not on the armed forces roster were denied entry.

“In their communication to SAI, BFI never listed this is as a pathway to the national camp, otherwise SAI would have not okayed a closed tournament.

“The COAS Cup was not mentioned as a closed tournament but it was, for all practical purposes because even the host, Army Sports Institute, was allowed to field a team along with separate squads from Army, Navy and Air Force,” the SAI source alleged.

“In what world is that a fair and open competition in which you are literally managing the draw to maximise the presence of Services boxers?” he asked.

Complaints from coaches: The SAI source said that after the BFI advertised for the coaching positions following much persuasion, the body received 171 applications but did not short list candidates in a fair manner.

“Instead of picking them based on qualification and experience, hirings were done on a whim. Some of the coaches hired have no experience and those who have, are sitting ignored on the sidelines. They are now coming to us and asking that how is somebody lesser qualified in the panel,” the source said.

“There has to be something in writing from BFI to explain this, it can’t be that they just ignore queries and do as they please.”