Sports Ministry’s affidavit in High Court on selection of boxers: We have no role in Asian Games without trial selection process; Federation is in charge

3 boxers including Amit Panghal have filed a petition in the High Court.

The Sports Ministry has filed its reply on the petition filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court regarding the selection of boxers without trial in the Asian Games. The ministry has categorically denied having any role in the selection process of the players. The reply states that all rights of selection rest with the Sports Federation of India (SFI). The director of the ministry Shiv Pratap Singh Tomar filed an affidavit saying that the ministry has no interference in the selection of players. The task of selection has been given to the Federation. He also has the right to decide the standard or policy for selection. Also informed that the last date for sending the names of the participants was July 15 and for this the names have been sent.

These days the boxers had petitioned
Haryana’s Olympian boxers Amit Panghal, Rohit Mor and Sagar had filed a petition in the High Court regarding the selection of Deepak, Sachin and Narendra in the Asian Games in 51 kg, 57 kg and 92 kg categories. The petitioner side told the court that under the Indian National Sports Development Code 2011, there is a provision for trials for the selection of players in major international events.

But the Boxing Federation of India has arbitrarily changed the selection criteria for the National Coaching Camp, World Championships and Asian Games 2023. The selection of boxers for the World Championships and the Asian Games is decided on the basis of individual assessment rather than trials.

The petitioners pointed out that the players who were selected for these competitions had lost to them (the petitioners). It was appealed in the petition that the names for the competition should be ordered not to be sent without trial, but the ministry made it clear that the names had already been sent a week ago.