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Santiago confirmed as India’s women’s head coach
Santiago Nieva returns to the Boxing Federation of India as head coach of the women's team, aiming for success after recent achievements.
New Delhi: Three years after parting ways with Boxing Federation of India (BFI) as the men’s team’s High Performance Director, Santiago Nieva will be back in the fold, this time as the head coach of the elite women’s team. Nieva’s appointment was confirmed on Wednesday. HT had reported on his impending return last month.
The Swede-Argentinian, known for his technical acumen, served as the head coach of Boxing Australia’s (BA) High Performance unit until recently and had accompanied the Aussie team at the World Boxing Cup Final in Greater Noida earlier this month. His tenure will be of three years, which includes LA 2028.
Dronacharya awardee D Chandralal, the women’s team chief coach, will continue to be part of the coaching capacity. His new designation and scope of work are still being worked out.
The women’s team has had a successful year, winning medals at the World Boxing Cup, World Championships and a podium sweep at the World Boxing Cup Final at home.
“Santiago’s return comes at the perfect moment for Indian women’s boxing. His technical depth, global experience and proven leadership fit seamlessly into our long-term vision. The recent achievements of our women boxers show what this programme is capable of, and with Santiago guiding the next phase of growth, we believe we can build a sustained pathway towards podium success at the highest level,” BFI president Ajay Singh said.
Nieva is expected to join by December 20 with the senior National Championships likely to begin on December 25. He will be based in NIS Patiala, the base of the elite men’s and women’s teams.
“Santiago is extremely excited to work with the senior women’s team, perhaps due to the immense promise the girls have shown this year. In fact, the request to coach the girls came from him. He knows the system very well and is expected to lead the women to greater heights,” a BFI official said.
India had a forgettable, medalless run at last year’s Paris Olympics after Lovlina Borgohain won a bronze medal at Tokyo 2021.
