The number of contenders for the elite national boxing camp in Patiala next month has been a point of contention between the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) think tank and Bernard Dunne, India’s high-performance director of boxing.
Bernard Dunne’s appointment
In October of this year, Dunne, a former Irish professional boxer, was appointed India’s high-performance director.
Only those who won gold and silver at the sixth elite women’s national boxing tournament, which ended earlier this week in Bhopal, should be shortlisted for the national camp, according to the Irish boxing specialist.
The best four in each of the weight categories, according to BFI authorities, should be chosen to participate in the national preparatory camp in 2023.
“Together with the Indian Boxing Federation, we are developing a selection procedure. My main objective for 2023 is to guarantee that athletes are successful at the Olympic qualification tournament in September and are in good condition.”
The national governing body of boxing has a history of putting the top four boxers in the national camp in order to develop a solid depth chart. The primary venue for honing the talents of the top boxers is still national camps because there are no zonal camps. This strategy hasn’t changed.
An experienced national boxing instructor clarified:
Combat sports include boxing. The second or third boxer might step in to fill the void if the leading boxer were to become ill or injured in any situation. Small European countries like Ireland might have a different system of boxing elites’ selection policy.
But it’s crucial to have at least the top four players in each of the weight divisions for the national camp in India, where the bulk of boxers relies on them for better facilities. A female coach connected to the national camp claims that the Irish expert is of the opinion that having fewer boxers in the top national camp is better for excellence.
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