SAI revokes decision to stop boxing training at Bhiwani

Deepender Deswal

Hisar, April 8

Two days after the Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) decision to stop boxing training at its Bhiwani centre, SAI has revoked its decision. The development comes after protest and pressure from boxers and boxing lovers.

Bhiwani is known as Cuba of India with around 15 Olympian boxers and hundreds of international players hailing from this town.

The official Twitter handle of SAI declared, “This is to bring to your attention that the sport of boxing will continue to be part of Bhiwani’s SAI Training Centre ‘’.

Kamal Singh Pradhan, a boxing enthusiast in Bhiwani, said that it was a welcome step by SAI. “Bhiwani has given best boxing champions to the country like Olympic bronze medallist Vijender Kumar and many other Olympian boxers including Akhil Kumar, Dinesh Kumar and Jitender. Obviously, these players and other sports lovers were unhappy with the decision to discontinue the boxing centre at Bhiwani.”

He demanded that the SAI and the state and central governments should provide more facilities for sports like boxing in Bhiwani as a large number of players have been taking coaching at the SAI centre and other academies in the town.

Young boxers Sonika and Neetu, who are taking coaching in Bhiwani, said, “We are thankful that SAI officials have realised the importance of the boxing centre at Bhiwani.” They demanded that SAI should construct a hostel for girls.

The operations division of SAI had released a letter on April 5 which had conveyed the shifting of boxing from the Bhiwani-based SAI centre.