Boxing India gears up to revitalize the sport

NEW DELHI: Boxing India plans to overhaul the national boxing program to create a value-based system that generates better career opportunities for our boxers and officials alike.
In the AIBA congress held in Jeju Islands, South Korea, it was indicated that boxing reforms need to be brought and implemented in India. Over the last 8 years, AIBA has taken great initiatives to overhaul the sport to make it an exciting sport that can become one of the best governed commercial sports in the world.
In this process, AIBA has re-structured all its competitions, scoring and officiating systems and created best practices at every level. AIBA has further regulated that majority of Olympic qualification will now happen through its World Series Boxing (WSB) & AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) Programs. On the backdrop of new 'without head-gear 'program, it will be pivotal for nations to participate in such formats in order to give requisite exposure to the boxers.
In order to make boxing a mainstream sport in India, Boxing India is working on a plan that will embrace these AIBA programs. Under the aegis of the new program, Boxing India plans to undertake workshops to upgrade skills and capabilities of all coaches and officials, open academies across all zones, to ensure equitable and structured development of the sport at grass-root level and also introduce a new points system for national ranking of all boxers. Boxers' qualification for tournaments would be based on this point system.
Over the last decade Indian boxers have done sporadically well in global championships. If their exposure, training, competitions are overhauled to meet the new rules and standards the sport will bring even more recognition to the boxers, and in turn to India.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Sandeep Jajodia, president Boxing India said, "The sole intent of Boxing India is to revive the sport and to nurture our boxers. Therefore in the best interest of the sport, the boxers and the nation, we are charting out a plan and will present it subsequent to getting recognition from ministry of youth affairs & sports, Government of India and membership from IOA."
Mr. Jay Kowli, secretary general, Boxing India emphasized, "Our objective is to ensure that the new form of boxing enters India for the benefit of our boxers. Boxing is for national glory, boxing is for fitness, boxing is for personal experience. We will reveal our new formats shortly."