The much-anticipated opening day of the boxing National Championships in Greater Noida descended into chaos and confusion on Sunday, with senior pugilists forced to wait anxiously for over four hours due to severe logistical failures. The historic event, which marked the first time the men's and women's national championships were staged together, was scheduled to begin at 2 pm at Gautam Buddha University but faced a prolonged and disruptive delay.
Rings Not Ready, Bouts Rescheduled
The core of the problem was the unavailability of the competition rings. Typically erected a day prior, the three required rings were not in place. By around 4 pm, only one ring was assembled, and even that had to be taken apart and reassembled due to a technical snag. In a desperate attempt to salvage the situation, officials were seen trying to build the ring themselves.
This unprecedented delay forced the organizers to reschedule a significant portion of the day's fights. All 32 women's bouts originally slated for Sunday were pushed to Tuesday morning. The action finally commenced at 6:30 pm, but only for the men's competition. Of the 80 total bouts planned (38 women's and 42 men's), merely six women's fights could be held by the end of the day, with many women boxers left waiting without information until 8 pm.
Frustration in the Ranks: Boxers and Officials Left in the Dark
The atmosphere inside the stadium was one of frustration and uncertainty. Reigning 48kg world champion Meenakshi Hooda, who was scheduled for the opening women's bout, was seen curled up on a yoga mat late in the afternoon, conserving energy. With no communication from the organizers, she eventually left the stadium at 7 pm.
Other boxers tried to pass the time, some with headphones, others pacing the hall. "We don't know when it will start, they aren’t telling us anything," said a boxer from Uttarakhand. Coaches raised serious concerns about the impact of the delay on athletes' safety. "Some boxers haven't eaten since breakfast... This kind of uncertainty affects recovery and increases the risk of injury," a coach warned. Even technical officials were left clueless, having been present since 12:30 pm with no updates.
Behind the Scenes: Payment Issues and Lack of Sponsors
While Boxing Federation of India (BFI) secretary general Pramod Kumar cited "certain logistical issues" to PTI, sources familiar with the matter revealed a more direct cause. They indicated that the delay was due to payment-related issues with the vendor responsible for the rings. "Work only began after the payment finally went through. There were no sponsors for the tournament either," a source disclosed, highlighting deeper organizational challenges.
Amidst the turmoil, some boxing action did manage to take place. 2018 Asian Games gold medallist Amit Panghal of SSCB dominated his bantamweight bout against Usman Mohd Sultan of Bihar, securing a unanimous decision. In the heavyweight category, Sagar of Haryana had to work hard for a split decision win over Edwin of Kerala. Lalrambuat of Mizoram also won by unanimous decision in the bantamweight category.
The chaotic start has cast a shadow over what was meant to be a landmark event for Indian boxing, raising questions about the planning and execution of premier national tournaments.
