Selection Foul Play: Will IBF take a lenient stand on apologizing boxers?

FILE PHOTO: Dinesh Kumar in action at the 2010 Asian Games (Getty Images)

The turmoil in Indian boxing in recent times has threatened to scupper the national team’s preparations for the upcoming World Boxing Championships, slated to be held in Almaty, Kazakhstan from October 11-27.

No nation would like to have a scenario where three boxers – Arjuna awardee Dinesh Kumar (91 kg), Dilbag Singh (69 kg) and Praveen Kumar (91 kg plus) – are crying foul over the manner in which the selection trials for the upcoming World Boxing Championship were conducted in Patiala. The three of them have alleged that they were given a raw deal.

The Indian Boxing Federation (IBF) has been sweating over this issue as it was the last thing they wanted with the World Championship just a month away.

Ideally, the IBF would have wished to see the boxers focus on their World Cup preparations, rather than form a three-member disciplinary committee comprising federation’s vice-Presidents ID Nanavati and Mukharjee Nirwan and chairman of the IBF’s Ring Officials Commission Narottam Singh Rawat, to thrash out the issue pertaining to the three boxers.

Now the IBF must be heaving a sigh of relief with the two of the three pugilists tendering an unconditional apology for their actions. Although the Indian Boxing Federation has not officially confirmed this, sources close to the IBF reveal that Dinesh Kumar (91 kg) and Praveen Kumar (91 kg plus) have regretted their action and have apologised.

It remains to be seen as to how the IBF disciplinary committee handles the apology from the two boxers at its upcoming meeting this week.

Of course, Dilbag Singh is still sticking to his guns and hasn’t apologised yet, IBF sources say.

The IBF had earlier made it abundantly clear that boxers must be able to justify their actions or face punishment.

One thing is clear: just because the two boxers have apologised does not mean they can easily escape a ban or punishment.

IBF sources say the two boxers would still have to vindicate their outburst at the disciplinary committee meeting to keep their international careers alive.

It is learnt that the parent body is peeved with the way the boxers went on record about unfair selection during the trials in Patiala. There is a line of thinking among the IBF top-brass that the actions of the three boxers have indeed lowered its image and prestige.

One hopes that the IBF arrives at a decision soon and the focus remains on the national team’s World Championship preparations – a rich medal haul in Almaty could just help to bury these incidents from public memory.