National Boxing Championships: Nikhat Zareen Shines, Refereeing Controversies Plague Tournament

Image Source: Internet

The fourth day of the Elite National Boxing Championships in Greater Noida was marked by exciting bouts and rising tensions. Top boxers like Nikhat Zareen, Minakshi Hooda, and Amit Panghal advanced to the quarterfinals, but the tournament was marred by controversies surrounding refereeing. Nikhat, a two-time world champion, defeated Kulsooma Bano of Ladakh via a first-round RSC, while Minakshi cruised to a 5-0 win against Annu of Jharkhand. Paris Olympian Preeti Sai Pawar also registered a dominant 5-0 win over Ruchika. However, the men's 55kg category witnessed a heated controversy involving Pawan Bartwal of Services and Lalit of All India Police. Pawan was declared the winner by abandonment, but the All India Police Sports Control Board questioned the scoring, claiming that the referee never gave the signal for the third round. The board has lodged a protest with the technical delegate of the Boxing Federation of India (BFI). The controversy has raised questions about the fairness of the tournament, particularly with Services having multiple boxers in the same weight category. A police team coach criticized the officiating, stating that the decision to declare the bout abandoned was unfair and that allowing multiple Services boxers in the same category is unfair to other teams. Another controversy erupted in the middleweight category, where Ishmeet of Railways accused Mohit of All India Police of biting him on the neck. The referee did not stop the bout, and Ishmeet went on to win, but Railways officials questioned the decision. The BFI has stated that the tournament committee is reviewing the incidents and that the matter will be investigated. The controversy has raised concerns about the integrity of the tournament and the need for improved refereeing standards.