Guwahati: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has upped the quota for support personnel of boxers from 4 to 8 in response to criticism following alarming revelations made by ace fighter Lovlina Borgohain.
The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) made it clear in a statement that only 33% of the playing contingent could be support staff under the rules.
“In BFI’s case the limit was just four support staff to 12 boxers. Only 33% of the playing contingent is allowed as Support Staff which in BFI’s case for the 12 boxers (8 men and 4 women) stands to be 4 support staff, (including coaches) who were to travel with the Team to Birmingham,” it said.
Because of their efforts, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had increased their quota of support staff from 4 to 8,” the BFI further said.
“The requirements of boxing with respect to coaches and support staff is a little different as there are multiple bouts, which could be one after another. The IOA understood BFI’s point of view and therefore, extended help with maximum possible additional support staff. With IOA’s help the number of support staff went up from 4 to 8 for the entire contingent of 12 boxers,” the statement added.
The federation added that in order to make sure that Lovlina’s coach Sandhya could stay with her in the Commonwealth Games village, the BFI was coordinating with the IOA.
“Boxing Federation of India ensured that Sandhya Gurung was at the training camp in Ireland. BFI is closely working with IOA so that Sandhya Gurung could be a part of the team in Birmingham. In the meanwhile, delegate transport and accommodation at ETO’s hotel has been already provided to her,” it read.
Meanwhile, BFI secretary Hemanta Kalita said, “Although we had already submitted all names, there is a quota system. There is a 25% quota based on the number of athletes that have qualified. We therefore had four officials, including a coach, a doctor, and others.”
“The IOA increased the allotment to eight as a result of our proposal. They can enter the village during the day and spend the night there, but four will stay inside and four must stay outside “Kalita added.
Tokyo Olympics medalist and ace boxer from Assam Lovlina Borgohain earlier today accused people of harassing her because of the shady “politics” that are hampering her preparations for the Commonwealth Games 2022, which will start on July 28 in Birmingham.
In a tweet, Borgohain claimed that the replacement of the trainers who helped her win the bronze medal at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo had disrupted her training schedule.
Just eight days before the competition, she said that the politics in the background had entirely interrupted her training.
Borgohain stated in a lengthy post in Hindi, “With a broken heart am admitting of harassment. My training regimen and performance in competitions are impacted every time the coaches who helped me win an Olympic medal are replaced.
One of my coaches, Sandhya Gurung, is a Dronacharya awardee, she remarked. My instructors may need to submit multiple requests in order to include my training even in the camps. My training and mental health are being greatly hampered by this.
The champion boxer continued, “My coach Sandhya Gurungji is currently waiting outside the commonwealth village. Eight days before the games, she was denied entry, and my training programme was stopped.
Following her allegations, the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ department of sports requested the IOA to set up the coach of Borgohain’s team’s accreditation.