HC issues notice to Centre, IOA after petition by boxers

Sunit Dhawan

Rohtak, July 18

Three boxers, including Amit Panghal, and a sports activist have approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court, questioning the selection process for the Asian Games, to be held later this year.

International boxers Panghal, Rohit Mor and Sagar, and Haryana-based sports activist Jaipal Dhankhar have challenged the evaluation-based selection process by filing two writ petitions before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The High Court has issued notices to the Sports Ministry, Indian Olympic Association (IOA), Sports Authority of India (SAI) and Boxing Federation of India (BFI). Judge Vinod S Bhardwaj has adjourned the case till July 24.

The petitioners have alleged that the BFI had changed the selection criteria for the national camps, World Championships and Asian Games in violation of the National Sports Development Code of India (NSCI)-2011 and the official selection policy.

“It is pertinent to mention that the criteria of trials for finally selecting boxers for participation in world championships and Asian Games was done away with and an arbitrary method was introduced based on personal evaluation instead of performance in final selection trials,” the petitioners said.

Earlier, Dhankhar had written to the offices of the Prime Minister as well as the IOA, pointing out the alleged flaws in the selection criteria.

The representation was referred to the BFI, which justified the selection criteria based on personal evaluation.

“Since the adoption of this criteria, both men and women have produced the best-ever performances in the history of Indian boxing at the World Championship,” the BFI said in response to the representation.

Dhankhar refuted the BFI’s claim, pointing out that the best-ever performance by the Indian men’s team came at the 2019 World Championships and not the 2023 edition.