New Delhi, Aug 12 – The Indian boxing contingent, featuring two reigning world champions, Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain, entered the Paris Olympics with high hopes for a medal haul. However, they ultimately fell short, concluding the tournament without any medals, leading to widespread disappointment among fans and analysts alike.
Boxing has long been a medal hope for India, especially after Vijender Singh’s historic bronze in the 2008 Beijing Games and MC Mary Kom’s women’s bronze in 2012. Despite a medal-less outing at the 2016 Rio Games, Borgohain’s bronze at the Tokyo Olympics reignited optimism for Indian boxing ahead of Paris. Expectations were high, with analysts predicting at least one, if not two, medals from the six qualified boxers, including two-time world champion Zareen (50kg), Borgohain (75kg), and 2023 world championship bronze medallist Nishant Dev (71kg).
Underwhelming Performance
Unfortunately, the Indian boxers struggled to find their rhythm throughout the competition. With the exception of Nishant, who faced a contentious decision in his quarterfinal bout, the rest of the team fell short against strong opponents. Zareen and Borgohain, in particular, were unable to deliver performances reflective of their world champion status. Both faced formidable Chinese competitors in the second round and were unable to mount a significant challenge.
Zareen, seen as a potential gold medallist, appeared off-colour and revealed she had resorted to extreme measures to maintain her weight limit, which impacted her performance. After a scrappy first-round win, she lost to Wu Yu in the second round. Borgohain also suffered a setback against her longtime rival, Li Qian, who has bested her in three of their four encounters. Amit Panghal (51kg) also underperformed, falling to Zambia’s Patrick Chinyemba, who was eliminated in the next round.
Jaismine Lamboria, competing at 57kg after moving down from 60kg, faced a tough opponent in Tokyo silver medallist Nesthy Petecio and was eliminated as expected. However, Preeti Pawar (54kg) delivered a commendable performance against reigning world silver medallist Yeni Marcela Arias, showcasing promise for the future.
Financial Support and Preparation
In preparation for the Olympics, the Sports Ministry allocated significant resources, including 17 national camps and 23 foreign exposure trips for nine core boxers under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), amounting to Rs 60.93 crore. Individual athletes also received substantial funding, with Zareen receiving Rs 91.71 lakh, Borgohain Rs 81.76 lakh, Panghal Rs 65.90 lakh, and Nishant Rs 65.86 lakh.
Issues in Coaching and Selection
One of the critical factors contributing to the Indian boxing team’s underperformance was the instability within the coaching staff. Since the Tokyo Games, multiple coaches have departed, disrupting the continuity essential for Olympic preparation. Notable changes included the exit of Women’s High Performance Director Raffaele Bergamasco shortly after Tokyo and the subsequent departure of men’s HPD Santiago Nieva in May 2022. The appointment and reassignment of head coaches, including the reinstatement of CA Kuttapa, further complicated the situation.
Additionally, the Boxing Federation of India’s new selection policy, which replaced the traditional trial system, sparked controversy. Panghal was left out of the national team until the final qualifier, with Deepak Bhoria being selected based on a performance assessment system. While Panghal eventually secured a quota spot, his lack of recent international competition contributed to his struggle during the Games.
Conclusion
The Indian boxing team’s disappointing campaign in Paris serves as a stark reminder of the challenges facing athletes, even with significant financial backing. Moving forward, it will be crucial for the Boxing Federation of India to address coaching instability and refine selection processes to better support their athletes in future competitions. As fans look ahead, the hope remains that Indian boxing can reclaim its position as a medal contender on the world stage.
