No clarity on giving Olympic qualification status to Women’s World Championship: Ajay Singh

With just days left for the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships to begin here, there is “no clarity” yet on whether the prestigious tournament will get qualification status for the 2024 Paris Olympics, Boxing Federation of India (BFI) President Ajay Singh said. Is. The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in December last year decided not to lift the suspension from the International Boxing Association (IBA) due to concerns related to governance, financial transparency and stability and the ‘integrity’ of referees and ‘judging’ procedures. did.

The IOC had informed the IBA that it would itself organize boxing qualification tournaments leading up to the Paris Olympics. The IOC also conducted the Olympic qualification process prior to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Last month, the IBA issued a statement that it “takes it upon itself as boxing’s international governing body to provide a clear process and pathway for its athletes to qualify for Paris 2024”. ,

But the IOC has since rejected the IBA’s claim, raising doubts. Ajay Singh said there is “no clarity” on the issue as of now and added that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is sending its team of observers for the championships starting March 15.

Ajay Singh said during the press conference on Friday, “There is no clarity on this. The IOC will decide whether its results will be considered for Paris Olympic qualification or a tournament to be announced at a later date. “The IOC is sending its own team, including observers, for the championships,” he said. ,

The issue was further complicated when the IBA decided to lift the ban on boxers from Russia and Belarus and allow them to participate in the championship under their flag, against IOC recommendations due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Eleven countries decided to pull out of the tournament in Delhi and the IBA initiated disciplinary action against five officials for ‘inciting a boycott’.

But even then 350 women boxers from 74 countries are participating in it. Singh said, “The IOC has not yet accorded the status of Olympic qualification tournament to the Women’s World Boxing Championship. We are hopeful that it can later be termed as a qualification tournament. It is a major championship anyway. Singh also said that India is keen to host an Olympic qualifying tournament.