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Boxer Arundhati Choudhary set to move Delhi HC against BFI
Choudhary contends that by virtue of winning the national title, she should be considered for selection. She is open to facing a trial against Borgohain.
Boxer Arundhati Choudhary is set to move Delhi High Court against Boxing Federation of India (BFI) seeking to represent the country in the 70kg weight division at the AIBA Women’s World Championships in Istanbul next month.
Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain was given an automatic berth in the weight category by the BFI.
Borgohain did not participate in the Senior National Championships last month, where Choudhary clinched the title in 70kg class. BFI had announced that gold medallists of the Nationals will represent India at the Worlds. However, an exception was made for Borgohain on account of her bronze medal-winning feat at the Games.
Choudhary contends that by virtue of winning the national title, she should be considered for selection. She is open to facing a trial against Borgohain.
On December 4, Choudhary had written to BFI president Ajay Singh asking for a trial in her weight category. She argued that Borgohain has been out of practice since the Tokyo Olympics and she deserves a “fair chance” to represent India.
"They have rejected my request for a trial. I do not have any other choice but to move court in the matter," said Choudhary, the reigning youth world champion.
Her advocate Sandeep Lamba said they are going to file a petition in Delhi High Court with a plea to give her a chance at the world championships like the other 11 boxers who have won gold medals at the Nationals last month.
Choudhary, who hails from Kota in Rajasthan, is one of India’s promising talents and won gold at the World Youth Championships in Poland earlier this year. She was among the few boxers who were part of the exposure camps before the Tokyo Olympics. She was also Borgohain’s sparring partner in Italy in the run-up to the Games.
Choudhary said BFI president Ajay Singh had promised a selection trial in her weight category after she won the national title. In her letter to Singh, she wrote that even six-time world champion MC Mary Kom was asked to take a selection trial before the Tokyo Olympics qualifiers.
Nikhat Zareen had sought a trial from BFI in the 51kg weight division and the two finally met in a charged-up atmosphere where Mary defeated Zareen.
“Mary Kom has given trials even though she is a great boxer and has maximum medals from Olympic and World Championships. The very basis of sport is the concept of fairplay and the need to keep proving oneself each and every time. Even Olympic gold medallists have to fight again to qualify to represent the country,” she wrote.
“As you are aware that Lovlina has been out of practice since the Tokyo Olympics and if I am given an opportunity for a trial, I have a real chance of winning a medal for India,” she had written to Singh.
The young boxer said she did not want to change her weight category because of Borgohain.
“I beat Lovlina didi in camps before the Tokyo Olympics. I am confident of doing well if a trial is held. At least I will be satisfied that I got an opportunity. By the time BFI’s announcement came that Lovlina would get a direct entry, I had appeared for the state championships. Even Mary didi spoke to the president on my behalf,” she said.
