'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Indian boxer Lovlina Borgohain has been elected as the chair and a voting member of the International Boxing Association's (IBA) Athletes Committee. The Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist received the highest number of votes during the election held at the 2022 Women’s World Championships.
Shiva Thapa has also been chosen as a member of the IBA Athletes Committee following the election held during the 2021 IBA Men’s World Championships.
Read: BFI and SAI felicitate Women’s World Championships medal-winning Indian boxers
The duo, who are both under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), have accepted their roles and look forward to representing India and other boxers at the Board of Directors’ meeting.
Lovlina Borgohain keen to promote Indian boxing
Lovlina Borgohain said she was honored to have been elected as the chair of the committee. The versatile boxer understands that being the chair is a huge opportunity for her to promote Indian boxing on the world stage.
"I feel honored to have been elected as the chair of IBA’s Athlete’s Committee, I expected to become a member, but I never thought I would become the chair of the committee," Borgohain was quoted as saying in a media statement by the Sports Authority of India.
"This will help me promote Indian boxing and especially women's boxing to other boxers of the world," she added. "This is a huge opportunity for me to promote boxing and I plan to first discuss what all needs to be addressed in boxing this year with other members and boxers of the world and then take those suggestions and grievances to the Board of Director’s committee."
Lovlina Borgohain and Shiva were selected by boxers who participated during the Men's and Women's World Championships that were held in October 2021 and May 2022 respectively.
Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur took to social media to congratulate the boxers.
"Big congratulations @LovlinaBorgohai for being elected the Chair of the @IBA_Boxing Atheletes' Committee and @shivathapa for being elected a Member of @IBA_Boxing Athletes' Committee. It's a big responsibility and I wish both of you the very best in delivering your duties," he tweeted.
