J&K's boxing team no-go for national event; dispute cancels team's participation [details]

Amid controversy over 'unfair' selections of the players, the participation of Jammu and Kashmir's team in the national competition has been cancelled due to a 'dispute' at the eleventh hour.

The J&K men's team was scheduled to leave on Saturday to take part in the Senior National for Men slated to begin from September 14 at Bellary, Karnataka.

Reports said that the authorities while terming the matter 'disputed', have cancelled the participation of the senior team in the competition.

Sources said instead of participating in the trials, some boxers reached Maulana Azad Stadium on Friday only to get their names incorporated in the selection list without any trial. Selections of these players were made in the presence of some officials of the J&K Sports Council, reports said.

Boxers accuse biased selection

On Friday budding boxers of the Union Territory had accused the Jammu and Kashmir Amateur Boxing Association of being 'biased' during the trials.

The officials of the J&K Amateur Boxing Association under the supervision of officials of the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council conducted the trials for the selection of the team for the national event.

However, a number of boxers, who attended the selection trials, had alleged that they were intentionally neglected despite participating in the trials.

Quoting some boxers, a news agency reported that those who attended the trials and also fought the bouts were out-rightly rejected by the officials without any reason.

Boxers alleged that the Association was also planning to accommodate some boxers from the neighbouring state by neglecting the deserving from the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

After the trial, six boxers from Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory were selected who will represent J&K in the Senior National for Men slated to begin from September 14 at Bellary, Karnataka.

Association blames coaches for the mess

As per reports, general secretary, J&K Amateur Boxing Association, Rajan Sharma claimed that undeserving were not selected but only the deserving."

Passing bucks to the coach, Sharma said, "Their coach has admitted that they were not fit and were not up to mark to participate in the nationals".

Meanwhile, one of the coaches (Boxing) from J&K Sports Council, Anil Wadhera, refuted the allegations and told, "Boys were fit for the competition".