The Boxing Association of India (BFI) has planned to start training camp for boxers seeking Olympic tickets from June 10, in which men and women players will exercise in Patiala with significant security in view of the Covid-19 epidemic. In the camp, however, boxers will not be allowed to go to the ring and they will also be prohibited from sparring (boxing practice) with another boxer.
The decision was made in a video conference in which BFI Executive Director RK Sacheti, Vice President Rajesh Bhandari, High Performance Directors Santiago Neeva (Male) and Rafael Fighter Aircraft Bergamasco (Female) along with Chief National Coach CA Katappa (Male) and Mohammad Ali Qamar (Female) were present in a video conference. "It is a plan ahead," said an officer of the federation. The boxers believed that even though they had done a great job so far, there was no alternative to formal training at the camp. NIS (National Institute of Sports) will also participate in a joint camp to be organized in Patiala.
Nine Indian boxers have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics including Amit Panghal (52 kg), Manish Kaushik (63 kg), Vikas Krishnan (69 kg), Ashish Kumar (75 kg), Satish Kumar (over 91 kg), MC Merikom (51 kg), Simranjit Kaur (60 kg), Lovlina Borgohin (69 kg) and Pooja Rani (75 kg). Among these boxers, Vikas, Manish and Ashish could not join the video conference, but they have agreed to the camp from 10 June. Even after getting permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs to open stadiums and sports complexes for players, it was decided not to start the camp immediately. This was taken in view of the difficulty related to travel during the nationwide interstate lockdown implemented on 31 May. Boxers were exercising at their home due to the lockdown implemented across the country in March due to the KCvid-19 epidemic.
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