In a significant development for Indian boxing, the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has pulled off a major coup by bringing back Santiago Nieva as the head coach of the women's national team. The Swedish-Argentine coach, who previously served as India's High-Performance Director from 2017 to 2021, returns during a critical period ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Nieva's appointment comes at a crucial juncture for Indian women's boxing, which has been without a permanent head coach since the departure of Italian coach Raffaele Bergamasco. During his previous stint, Nieva played an instrumental role in shaping India's most successful Olympic boxing campaign at Tokyo 2020, where Indian boxers secured an unprecedented medal haul.
Proven Track Record with Indian Boxing
The 49-year-old coach brings with him a wealth of experience and familiarity with the Indian boxing ecosystem. Under his previous guidance, Indian boxers achieved remarkable success including:
- Lovlina Borgohain's bronze medal at Tokyo Olympics
- Multiple World Championship medals
- Historic performances in Asian Championships
- Development of emerging talent into world-class boxers
His understanding of Indian boxing culture and existing relationships with boxers makes this appointment particularly strategic for the BFI.
Immediate Focus on Olympic Qualification
Nieva's immediate challenge will be to prepare the women's team for the upcoming World Qualification Tournament for Paris 2024, scheduled for early next year. With several Indian women boxers, including Olympic medalist Lovlina Borgohain and world champion Nikhat Zareen, aiming for Olympic glory, Nieva's expertise will be crucial in fine-tuning their preparations.
The timing of this appointment suggests the BFI is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring Indian boxers receive the best possible coaching support during this critical qualification phase.
Strengthening India's Coaching Structure
With Nieva taking charge of the women's team, the Indian boxing coaching structure now features two world-class foreign coaches. Dmitry Dmitruk continues as the men's head coach, creating a formidable coaching duo that could significantly boost India's prospects in international competitions.
This move demonstrates the BFI's commitment to maintaining high-quality coaching standards and providing Indian boxers with international-level training methodologies.
Boxing enthusiasts and sports analysts are already buzzing with excitement about Nieva's return, seeing it as a potential game-changer for Indian women's boxing as they build toward the Paris Olympics and beyond.
