Indian boxers to get IOC funding
NEW DELHI: Amidst the gloom, there is some good news for world boxing. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has lifted its freeze over the Olympic Solidarity Fund given to international federations under various scholarship schemes for the development of athletes and sport.
The IOC had suspended all financial payments to world boxing body AIBA, including assistance under the Olympic Solidarity, as it was not satisfied with the report prepared by AIBA on its governance, finance, refereeing and anti-doping issues.
However, during its recent executive board meeting on Nov 30 IOC lifted the ban. An official communication to this effect has been now circulated to the National Olympic Committees (NOC).
IOC Director of Olympic Solidarity Pere Miro in a letter to the NOC’s, dated December 4, said ‘the IOC Executive Board has agreed to lift the freeze of Olympic Solidarity funding of athletes, on the condition that no funding can be applied or paid through a national boxing federation”
“In practical terms this means NOCs are now able to assist boxing athletes through direct financial contributions either via your NOC or through Olympic solidarity office in Lausanne only.
“The funds used in this regard must not transit through the National Boxing Federations.”
The Olympic Solidarity Fund is an important assistance given by the IOC to all the NOCs through various scholarship programmes, prioritising athletes’ development, training of coaches and sports administration.
The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) welcomed the move. “It is a positive development for us. We were not receiving any funding from IOC since February but now we will be able to take advantage of multiple schemes under the Olympic Solidarity Fund. There are several scholarship schemes for athletes, coaches and for training,” said RK Sacheti, Executive Director of the BFI
Asked that IOC has mentioned that the grants will not be routed through the federation, he said, “In India this has been the system for a long time. After the money is sanctioned by the IOC, the IOA has been directly distributing the fund to the athletes.”