Gaurav Bidhuri claimed he was unaware of the selection criteria.
India’s only medallists from the men and women boxing world championships, Gaurav Bidhuri and Sonia Lather, have not been included in the Commonwealth Games squad due to Boxing Federation of India’s (BFI) selection policy. While Bidhuri was excluded from the squad as he did not have enough ‘points’ to back his claim for a place in the team, Sonia was overlooked due to her poor form.
Left out of the squad, world championship bronze medallist Bidhuri said on Wednesday he was unaware of the selection criteria and was “under the impression that we will have a trial.” Bidhuri, out of action since winning the bronze in Hamburg in August, failed to make the cut in the bantamweight (56kg) category after missing the India Open and the Bulgaria invitational tournaments.
“If the India physio is saying that you can’t punch the bag, how could I be participating in these events? Three weeks ago, I mailed the federation that I have been cleared to compete, along with the certificates. My focus was on regaining fitness because I thought I will perform in the trials. I didn’t even ask them to put me in the squad blindly, but at least I should be given a grace point for winning a medal at the World Championships,” Bidhuri told The Indian Express.
With the BFI opting for a point system instead of conventional trials, Mohammed Hussamuddin, who won bronze medals at the two events, was selected ahead of Bidhuri. “They never told me that not competing in these events will count against me. Of course I will not play if I am injured. But if they had told me even once that you will not be considered if you miss the tournaments, I would have participated. I would have trained instead of rehabilitating,” said Bidhuri.
“Now, all I hear is how they focussed on the point system. How I wasn’t part of the events, how I didn’t train, how I did not do proper running because of my knees. I was facing the same injury problems ahead of the world championship last year. Then also I didn’t do proper running according to them. But I competed and got a medal.”
The 24-year-old said that he is disheartened to miss a chance to prove himself at his first Commonwealth Games. “Most Indians only know about Olympics and Commonwealth Games. Four years is a long wait for the next edition. I was so motivated to get a medal after last year’s performance. But now I have been dropped.”
Lather, meanwhile, won a silver medal in the 57kg category at the 2016 World Championships and last year’s Asian Championships but it still wasn’t enough for her to get into the team. The federation excluded her citing poor form and despite her protests, the BFI has stuck to its stand.
Kaushik replaces Thapa
Shiva Thapa, too, failed to secure a berth in the lightweight (60kg) category. With the Asian gold medallist performing inconsistently since moving up a weight class, Manish Kaushik, who beat Thapa at last year’s Nationals and the India Open, will represent the nation in the category.
Amit Panghal (49kg) was selected after he won gold medals at the India Open and Strandja Memorial, while Vikas Krishan (75kg) pipped Mandeep Jangra on the basis of a gold medal and best boxer trophy in Bulgaria upon return from injury. Manoj Kumar — 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist – will compete in the 69kg category.
In the +91kg category, Asian Games bronze-medallist Satish Kumar has been selected, while the 64kg and 81kg divisions have been dropped to keep up with the stipulated size of the contingent.
In the women’s team, Mary Kom was picked in the 48kg category after claiming two gold and a silver in in the last four months. L Sarita Devi retained her place in the 60kg category while Lovlina Borgohain’s (69kg) gold at the India Open secured her spot.
Final call on world silver-medallist Sarjubala Devi, who has had to move up to 51kg to make room for Mary, will be taken on the basis of her performance in an event in Kazakhstan this week. Trials will be held for men in the 91kg and 52kg categories on March 1 and 4 respectively.
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