Top Indian boxers unable to train just months ahead of Commonwealth, Asian Games as national camps delayed: Report

Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen is sitting idle at home even as the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games are just months away. Other Indian boxers too are similarly without much time in the ring time despite 2026 being a big year for all of them.

The situation has arisen because the national camps for male and female boxers, scheduled to start from April 25, are yet to begin. The camps would have played a key role in the assessment process for the Indian boxing team selection for the Commonwealth and Asian Games. The selection trials are scheduled to take place at NIS Patiala from May 11-15.

Plans of Indian boxers derailed

The national camp for top Indian boxers was expected to begin at NIS Patiala from April 25. However, it is yet to start because the Sports Authority of India has not yet approved it to go ahead, as per Amar Ujala.

As per the publication, boxers are angered by the delay in the camps which has derailed their plans ahead of a crucial year.

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Zareen, one of India's top boxer, has said that the lack of camps is hurting her greatly. She is currently in Hyderabad but the facilities in her hometown are no match for the training centre.

The Glasgow Commonwealth Games champion said that if the camp been held, she would have begun working on her fitness and preparing for selection to the Commonwealth and Asian Games team. Zareen, also a medalist at the Hangzhou Asian Games, says that the delay will be detrimental to her and other boxers.

Zareen, along with other top Indian boxers, were to participate in these camps after a successful outing at the recent Asian Championships which ended on April 11. After that the athletes were given a small break before they visited Patiala for the camps which would have played a key role in the selection for the bigger events lined up for later this year.

Among men Sachin (60), Preeti (54), Priya (60) have already sealed their place in the team of both the Asian and Commonwealth Games while Jasmine (57), Arundhati (70 kg) have been selected just for the Commonwealth Games. A total of seven men, seven women boxers are to be selected in the team for the Commonwealth Games and six men and five women boxers will get the nod for the Asian Games. The remaining slots across weight categories will be selected on the basis of assessment.