Boxers Rue Lack of Government Support
By : Sanjay Samuel Paul
Update: 2024-02-23 18:18 GMT
Hyderabad: When ace boxer Nikhat Zareen secured two gold medals, her feat had inspired girls to pursue boxing, leading to the establishment of several clubs for the sport. This surge in interest has not only contributed to the emergence of new boxers at the national level but also highlighted the lack of enough support and encouragement for these athletes.
At the Third Sub Juniors Boxing State Championship held at the Senior Railway Institute at South Lalaguda in Secunderabad, several boxers voiced their resentment over the apathy of both the government and sports associations. This lack of institutional support, they claim, is discouraging many talented athletes from continuing in the sport.
The Telangana Boxing Federation announced that 13 boys and 13 girls, winners of the championship, will be representing the state at the Sub Junior Nationals in Greater Noida, New Delhi, from March 18 to March 25.
However, coaches claim young athletes need to be trained for at least 15 days, providing proper practice, nutrition, and rest, to maximise their chances of success at the national level. They urge the association to support the contestants to ensure they have the opportunity to excel and secure medals.
Highlighting the challenges faced by young athletes, a coach, who is also a parent, said the players put in a lot of effort but tournaments are poorly organised. He sought greater accountability, transparency, and fairness within the associations.
The sub-junior championship, which concluded on Friday, saw the participation of 170 athletes over two days, with the event extended to a third day due to scheduling issues.
When approached for a comment, P. Ravender, secretary of the Telangana Boxing Federation, said they did not receive any government support for competitions, and financial burden was placed on the association to organise events. Despite the abundance of talent at the grassroots level, he said the minimal encouragement and assistance provided by the government, particularly following the formation of Telangana state.