NEW DELHI, May 2: As many as 40 boxers face uncertainty after being omitted from the sanction letter issued by the Sports Authority of India for the national camp, casting doubt on their participation in the selection assessment process for this year’s Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.
According to the selection policy of the Boxing Federation of India (BFI), the top two finishers across 20 weight categories — 10 each in men’s and women’s sections — at the Chief of Army Staff Cup (COAS), held from March 30 to April 5, were to be included in the national camp that was scheduled to begin on April 25.
The policy, released in December last year, states that these 40 boxers would be eligible for the assessment trials, which will determine India’s squads for the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and the World Boxing Cup 2.
However, the sanction letter received by the BFI on April 29 did not include the names of these boxers.
“The sanction was received on 29th April 2026, and 40 names are currently missing from the list,” the federation said in a notification on Friday.
It is understood that the BFI has been in constant communication with SAI to resolve the issue but is yet to receive a response.
The assessment process, originally scheduled to begin on May 5, has now been pushed back by a day and will commence from May 6 due to the uncertainty surrounding the missing names.
“We were told winning the COAS Cup will get us to the camp. It is the same policy as last year so I don’t know what the issue is. This is the only way of getting into the camp and vying for the CWG and Asian Games as I missed the Nationals due to injury.
“I am just hoping the sanction letter arrives over the weekend so that I can reach the camp on time and take part in the assessment,” one of the 40 boxers said.
Under the revised schedule, the assessment will be conducted in two phases. Strength & Conditioning tests will be held on May 6 and 7, followed by sparring bouts from May 11 to 15, conducted in a knockout format to determine final standings across weight categories.
The evaluation carries a total of 200 marks, combining both technical and non-technical parameters. Non-technical components, including attendance, weight management, health management, international potential, and strength and conditioning, will contribute to the overall score alongside technical assessments conducted by a panel of evaluators.
Rankings within each weight category will be determined through a structured knockout format.
The CWG will take place in Glasgow from July 23 to August 2 while the Asian Games is scheduled from September 19 to October 4 in Aichi and Nagoya in Japan. (PTI)
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