Pugilists in quandary, future of national camps uncertain

As many as five senior, junior and sub-junior boxing camps are in progress at various SAI centres, and today's decision by the world body has cast a doubt on India's participation in the prestigious AIBA tournaments.

To make matter worse for the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation, the government also cracked the whip on IABF by suspending its recognition citing "flawed and faulty" elections and giving it 15 days to confirm a re-election.

The development has jeopardised the future of ongoing camps, but the Sports Authority of India assured the boxers that they can continue to train at the SAI centres, and the sports ministry's decision will not have an immediate impact on the future of the training-cum-competition camps.

The allocated budget by the Sports Ministry for the boxing discipline for the financial year ending March 2013 is Rs 10.64 lakhs and the expenditure incurred so far has been Rs 676 lakhs approximately.

A senior national camp is going for the men's team at Patiala from November 15 to December 25 for the 22nd President's Cup to be held in Jakarta, Indonesia next year for which the dates are yet to be announced.

Similarly, the national camp for junior women's team is going on in Vizag from November 15 to December 15 for 40 boxers (including eight coaches and two supporting staff) for training-cum-competition and Asian Youth Women Boxing Championships in 2013.

In Aurangabad, the junior men's team is training for the A Agralov Cup Boxing championship to be held at Baku from December 19-24. The camp, which started on November 15 and will continue till December 17, has 40 boxers including eight coaches and one supporting staff. More