Boxed in? Since Paris Games, boxers haven’t competed in int’l tournaments

new delhi: Indian boxing finds itself in a state of inexplicable slumber post the Paris Olympics with the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) skipping major international tournaments, delaying national camps, and repeatedly postponing the women’s national championship.

Senior Indian boxers haven’t competed in any international tournament since the Olympics. The prestigious Strandja Memorial Tournament, set to begin in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Saturday, is the latest high-profile event where Indian boxers will be absent.

India had also skipped the Asian Championship last November, owing to BFI’s alignment with the breakaway World Boxing and the ongoing conflict with the IOC-suspended International Boxing Association (IBA).

With no national camp since the Olympics, the athletes have been training at their SAI National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs).

While the BFI hosted the men’s national championships last month, the women’s nationals, originally scheduled for November-end, have faced repeated postponements, with the latest update setting it for mid-March, though no official reason has been provided.

The men’s nationals followed the 10 weight-category structure introduced by World Boxing, whereas the Strandja Memorial Tournament, organised by the European Boxing Confederation (EUBC), will adhere to the old (IBA) weight classes. “The problem is that weight categories are different,” a BFI official said. “We will start the national camps from March and the women’s national championships are also slated for next month.”

Strandja Memorial is a prestigious event that features high-quality boxers from

around the world.