Turkey boxing championship postponed, fresh trials to be held: BFI to HC

The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) Tuesday told the Delhi High Court that fresh trials are required to be conducted for the Women's World Boxing Championship, 2021 as the tournament has been postponed from December this year to May 2022 in Istanbul in view of the COVID-19 situation.

The BFI submitted in response to a petition by National champion Arundhati Choudhary against not being considered for the championship in Turkey.

Justice Rekha Palli granted four weeks to BFI to place on record the procedure which will be followed for conducting the trials and listed the matter for further hearing on January 31.

The counsel for BFI submitted that given the COVID-19 position, the Women's World Boxing Championships 2021 to be held in Istanbul, Turkey has now been postponed to May 2022, and therefore the petitioner's grievance may no longer survive as fresh trials are required to be conducted before sending names for the championship when trials will be held in accordance with the law.

The court had earlier sought response of the BFI and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on the petition by the 19-year-old boxer who said that Olympic bronze-winner Lovlina Borgohain has been selected without a trial.

It had granted liberty to Choudhary, who is also the reigning youth world champion, to implead Borgohain in the matter, saying the court cannot examine the petitioner's contention or pass any order at the latter's back.

BFI's counsel had informed the court that Choudhary has already been registered for the event as a reserved boxer in the 70 kg category and there could be only one entry in each category and if she is aggrieved by the selection of Borgohain, she ought to have impleaded her as a party respondent.

As an interim measure, Choudhary has sought that the ministry and BFI be restrained from taking any detrimental action against her by denying the opportunity for her representation in the World Women Boxing Championship, 2021 to be held in Istanbul, Turkey.

Choudhary, in her plea, has said in the light of her excellent record that as she won the gold medal in the women's national boxing championship held in Hissar in October this year, she ought to have been given preference over any other candidate in the upcoming championship in Turkey. 

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