Boxing India (BI) top brass is thanking the Almighty for saving it from another suspension by the International Boxing Federation (AIBA).
Boxing India (BI) top brass is thanking the Almighty for saving it from another suspension by the International Boxing Federation (AIBA).
A young boxer, Sandeep Bagri (52-kg category), who was selected to represent the country for the first time in his career, would have put the future of the entire Indian boxers in jeopardy for concealing a 'truth'.
It happened late last week when the six-member Indian contingent was to take off for Pattaya (Thailand) to participate in the King Boxing championship.
Hours before Bagri was scheduled to board the flight, a whisper from within the contingent forced veteran coach Gurbaksh Singh Sandhu to hit the panic button. Concealing the news would have not only suspended BI by the international body but also ended Sandhu's coaching career.
Sandhu was told that Bagri was concealing a 'truth' about his recent participation in the 'professional boxing championship' held in Thailand only. It must be mentioned here that AIBA doesn't allow any 'professional boxer' to take part in any of its amateur boxing championships. Also, AIBA rules are clear that even if any country is found to be hiding this truth, then it is liable to be suspended immediately.
On hearing this, Bagri was not only dropped from the Indian team but also was asked to leave the national camp at NIS (Patiala) immediately.
BI secretary general Jay Kawli on Monday confirmed that "Bagri was asked to leave the camp".
"It would really have put BI in a spot had Bagri been sent to this championship. Thankfully, we came to know about it well in time," said Kawli. "We've got an email from Bagri stating his side of story and we're in the process of writing to AIBA regarding his case. BI will certainly try that this young boxer's career is not finished like this, as he has accepted his mistake."
Bagri was brought to the national camp on the basis of his performance in the national championship in Nagpur where he won bronze in his category. However, no one in BI knew that Bagri had participated in the 'professional circuit' even before the nationals.
It would be interesting to see how AIBA will respond to BI's request of taking a lenient view on this young boxer.
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