Neeraj Goyat speaks up about ill-treatment of boxers by Boxing Federation of India

Speaking to IANS, the Haryana pugilist said that the BFI is no better than the WFI.

"I am proud of our wrestlers. They at least came out and said what they felt was wrong. Our boxing federation is no different. The officials (of BFI) just want to click photos with those athletes who win. Only victory matters to them. They don't care about those who lose, or why they lose," said the 31-year-old.

"Amit Panghal was sure to win a medal at the Olympics, but unfortunately lost out in the pre-quarters. After the loss, he was mentally and physically broken, and the federation didn't feel the need to speak to him," Goyat said. He went on to say that the federation only wants publicity. 

"Even Vikas Krishan needed help after the Tokyo Olympics. Vikas Krishan Yadav was injured and the federation did not even know the name of the hospital in which he was treated. If he had won a medal, the BFI president would have been the first to receive him at the airport and click a picture," Goyat said.

"The federation's only concern is to get publicity. This is the case with all the sports federations in India. Government should disband them all and start afresh. A rule should be implemented that states that in order to be top brass, one must have sporting achievements, and make it compulsory.

"They have hired a foreign coach who doesn't know anything about Indian boxing style and what our boxers need to deliver at the international level," he added.