Young boxer Arundhati challenges BFI selection policy for world championships in Delhi HC

By PTI

NEW DELHI: National champion Arundhati Choudhary on Tuesday knocked on the doors of Delhi High Court against Boxing Federation of India’s decision to select Olympic bronze-winner Lovlina Borgohain for the world championships without a trial.

Choudhary, who is also the reigning youth world champion, wants trials to be held in the 70kg category for which Borgohain was granted direct selection on the basis of her Olympics performance.

All remaining 11 weight categories will be represented by national gold-winners.

The 19-year-old’s petition has been listed for Wednesday and a top Boxing Federation of India official told PTI that the body will respond to court directions.

The world championship, which was scheduled from December 4 to 18 in Istanbul, is set to be postponed till March next year due to the surging COVID-19 cases in Turkey.

A fresh selection policy for the event could be drafted once the official announcement of postponement comes from the International Boxing Association later this week.

“The decision to grant Lovlina direct selection was taken at the Executive Committee meeting in September. Rajasthan, from where Arundhati comes, was part of that meeting and they did not object at that time,” the BFI official said on conditions of anonymity.

“If the honourable court orders a trial, there will be a trial. All the boxers who participated in the Nationals knew the framework of selection. It was duly mentioned in the tournament brochure that the 70kg selection had been sealed to honour the Olympic performance, nobody was kept under any illusion,” he added.

Choudhary has alleged that the federation has not responded to her repeated requests for communication after she put out an open letter requesting trials, citing “the concept of fair play and need to prove oneself each time.”

On Tuesday, the promising youngster merely said she has gone to court now. The BFI, on its part, said efforts were made to talk to her through her state body.

“This selection policy was only meant for the world championships. Obviously there will be trials for competitions after that. She will get her chances,” the BFI official said.

“It was a decision taken at the EC and everyone who competed in the Nationals knew what the stated position was. It is a bit sad that she has taken it court,” he added.