Women's boxing to be medal sport at next Asiad

Thu, May 22 02:30 AM

What the International Amateur Boxing Federation (AIBA) could not do, the Asian Federation of Boxing Confederation (AFBC) was able to achieve after a couple of sittings early this week in Beijing. Women's boxing will be a medal sport in the next Asian Games in Guangzhou.

But the Asian body members, who met on May 18 and 19, have decided that only five weight categories would be included at the start.

The AIBA had been confident of the sport being included in the Olympics at the International Olympic Committee's meeting in Singapore in 2006. The proposal fell through, however.

Other interesting decisions taken at the Beijing Congress included the formulation of a new set of rules for the game that will be functional between May 31 and August 30, 2008. From September 1, 2008, there will be a seachange in rules to make the sport even more attractive and television-friendly.

Asian meet in Guwahati

THE AFBC also allotted Asian Women's Boxing Championships to India. The championship, to be held in Guwahati between September 23 and 28, will see 15 countries participating.

The meet will be important both for India and China, who have been allotted the World Women's Boxing championship in November. Though India got bagful of medals in the last meet held in New Delhi in 2006, China are expected to give a tough fight to all top contenders.

According to Col PK Muralidharan Raja, secretary of Indian Amateur Boxing Federation, all women pugilists selected for the Guwahati meet will form the core squad for both the world meet as well as the Asian Games in 2010.

Akhil in good shape

BANTAM class pugilist Akhil Kumar, who returned after a surgery from South Africa two days ago, has resumed "light training," according to national chief coach GS Sandhu. Speaking to The Indian Express from Patiala, where four other boxers - AL Lakra, Jitender Kumar, Dinesh Kumar and Vijender Singh - are training for the President's Cup event in Chinese Taipei.

Both Raja and coach Sandhu confirmed that Akhil wouldn't be participating in the Taipei meet. "He has been following a strict regimen as prescribed by the doctor who operated upon him in South Africa. Though he is not 100 per cent fit, he is doing fine. We don't want risk any further injury," said Raja.

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