Indian official offers Pakistan exchange programme in boxing

GOLD COAST, Australia: An Indian sports official from Patiala has offered Pakistan to launch an exchange programme of boxers between Indian Punjab and Pakistan, writes Alam Zeb Safi.

“I offer Pakistan an exchange programme of boxers. We will come to Pakistan and Pakistani boxers will come to India,” Santosh Dutta, a senior official of the Patiala Boxing Association, told ‘The News’ here on Wednesday at the Oxenford Studios here.

“Both countries need such exchange programmes. Although there are also some problems on the political front, an effort can be made. You know Indian Punjab has a major contribution to boxing development of India. I hope Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) and the boxing body of Pakistani Punjab will understand my point,” said Santosh, whose grandfather lived in Pakistan before Independence.

India over the years has improved a lot, having won a few boxing medals in Olympics. In the Commonwealth Games here, five of the eight Indian boxers have qualified for the semi-finals. Santosh said that he had strong relations with his state government. He promised that Pakistani boxers would be properly looked after during their tour.

Meanwhile, India boxing team assistant coach Dharmendra Singh Yadav told this correspondent that he had seen Pakistani boxers and found them good. “I know Pakistani boxers. Even today I met Syed Mohammad Asif. He is a fine product but he needs to be groomed properly,” said Yadav, a former Olympian and bronze medalist of the Commonwealth Games.

When asked about the reasons behind India’s sharp rise in sports, particularly boxing, he said it was the investment India has made which brought the turnaround. “It’s money which has changed everything,” Yadav said.

“Army Sports Institute (ASI) has played a tremendous role. The institute gets 12-year-old boxers and other athletes from across India. They are properly trained there. They also get education and jobs eventually. This has altered everything,” Yadav said.

“Besides, the Indian government has made all sports compulsory in schools. That has also contributed a lot,” Yadav said. He said every Indian boxer who won gold here in Commonwealth Games would be handed 20 million Indian rupees, which is a handsome amount.

“This amount will be given by our state Haryana which is brimming with talent,” Yadav said.“Besides, the federal government will also give the gold medallists up to five million Indian rupees,” he said.

But the story of Pakistan is different as its boxers rarely get any substantial support, either from the government or from the corporate sector.Pakistani boxers are playing in the Commonwealth Games without having ventured abroad since June 2017.

The Indians’ plan for the Asian Games is also ambitious. “We are sending some boxers to the United States. They will be passed through physical fitness tests and other things to prepare for the Asian Games,” Yadav said.

“After returning from here we will go back straight to the camp for the Asian Games,” the coach said. The Asian Games will be held in Indonesia from August 18 to September 2.India is the third strong boxing force in Asia. Only Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are ahead of it.