World Boxing Championship: Likely to re-examine decision on selected players for Turkey, BFI tells Delhi High Court

File image of Lovlina Borgohain in action at Tokyo 2020. AP

New Delhi: The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) told the Delhi High Court on Wednesday that since the upcoming Women’s World Boxing Championship has been postponed till March, it is likely to re-examine its earlier decision on the selected sportspersons from the country, which did not include National champion Arundhati Choudhary.

Counsel for BFI told Justice Rekha Palli, who was hearing a plea by Choudhary against not being considered for the championship, sought two weeks from the court to allow the sports body to decide if it is going to stick to earlier selected players or take a fresh decision.

Give us two weeks. BFI can decide, said counsel Parth Goswami.

Considering BFI’s stand, the judge deferred hearing on the reigning youth world champion’s petition and said that no orders were called for at this stage on her plea to make the selected player, Olympic bronze-winner Lovlina Borgohain, a party to the proceedings.

On 10 November, the court had issued notice to BFI and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on the petition by the 19-year-old boxer who challenged her non-selection and claimed that Borgohain had been selected without a trial for the world championship.

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

In a statement earlier the BFI said, Since only one entry in each weight category could be sent for the world championships, BFI has taken a conscious decision in its EC meeting and thereafter in its Selection Committee meeting to give ‘one time exception for Ms. Lovlina Borgohain’ Tokyo Olympic Bronze medallist, who will be selected for world championships directly in her weight category.

It said this decision was taken in the light of the fact that there was very less gap between Olympics and Elite Women’s Championships that was held at Hissar and that Lovlina — was also world no.3 in this weight category — needed time to recuperate after Tokyo Olympics.

The decision was communicated to all state associations, it was stated.

Lawyers appearing for the BFI had informed the court on the previous occasion that petitioner has already been registered for the event as a reserved boxer in the 70 kg category.

Choudhary, in her plea filed through advocates Vijay Mishra and Sandeep Lamba, has said in the light of her excellent record and as she won gold medal in the women’s national boxing championship held in Hissar in October this year, she ought to have been given preference over any other candidate in the upcoming championship in Turkey.

As an interim measure, Choudhary sought that the ministry and BFI be restrained from taking any detrimental action against her by denying the opportunity for her representation in the World Women Boxing Championship.
The matter would be heard next on 7 December.