Women's Boxing World Championship | BFI sends letters to countries boycotting the event

02/25/2023

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The Women's World Championship is being boycotted by an increasing number of nations, but the BFI is not discouraged and has started talks with these countries to persuade them to change their minds. The IBA has allowed Russian and Belarusian boxers to compete under their own flag.

As a result, nine nations will not be attending the major competition, which will take place in New Delhi from March 15 to 26. The USA, UK, Ireland, Canada, Sweden, Poland, Netherlands, Czech Republic, and Ukraine are among the nations mentioned. "I don't know why we should even think that it's disheartening because we have 74 countries that are coming in. Just a very few countries have pulled out," BFI executive director Col Arun Malik told PTI.

"We have countries like Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and China, they are the strongest nations of the world, and they are all coming. "I don't think we have any reason to get disheartened. It's a very good response, the numbers are bigger than they were in Istanbul, and the countries are more."

350 boxers from 74 nations have already submitted their names for the biannual spectacle, including seven Olympic medalists. The BFI has started a conversation with six of the boycotting nations and is hoping that some of them may change their minds and attend the event in Delhi.

"We have written to six countries that have pulled out. They are open to talking to the President Mr Ajay Singh. We don't know at what level the decision has been taken by them if the national federation has taken it or if the decision is taken by the government.

"But the endeavour is there to get some of these countries if not all to participate," Malik added.

The national federation and IBA are conversing as well. India is in a challenging position as a host country as a result of the recent occurrences. Even throughout our interactions, some people have expressed a desire to box, play sports, and send sportsmen to India.

"The exposure the Indian boxers can offer, they will not get anywhere else. We have one of the strongest women boxing team in India."