New Delhi: Two time world champion Nikhat Zareen has expressed frustration over the confusion surrounding India’s boxing selection process, describing the past two weeks as “torture” for athletes caught in the middle of the administrative dispute between the Boxing Federation of India and the Sports Authority of India.
The controversy began after SAI objected to the Boxing Federation’s proposed assessment based selection system following complaints from several boxers. The assessment camp, which was meant to help select squads for this year’s Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, was eventually suspended midway, forcing the federation to return to the traditional trial based format.
Nikhat said the constant changes in schedules, fitness evaluations and selection criteria created enormous pressure on athletes who were already preparing intensely for the upcoming events. According to her, boxers were repeatedly informed about revised plans and were expected to maintain strict weight targets while continuing uninterrupted training.
She revealed that athletes had initially been told the national camp would begin on April 25, but delays in approval pushed the schedule further. Boxers were later informed that performance assessments, including physical tests, strength tests and sparring sessions, would determine selection points. However, after weeks of preparation, the entire assessment system was scrapped and the earlier scores were discarded.
Nikhat admitted the uncertainty was physically exhausting and mentally draining, especially since many athletes continued training despite injuries and fatigue to avoid losing points in the proposed system. She said the sudden reversal left several boxers disappointed after investing weeks of effort under strict monitoring.
The Telangana boxer’s campaign ended in disappointment after she lost 1-4 to Sakshi Chaudhary in the 51kg semifinals of the trials, ruling her out of both the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games squads.
Following the setback, Nikhat said she plans to take a short break after a demanding schedule that has continued without pause since early 2025. Despite missing out on major events this year, she remains focused on the bigger target ahead, the Olympic qualification tournaments scheduled next season.
