Kosovo boxer ban could cost India 2021 world c’ship
NEW DELHI: India faces the risk of losing the right to host the men’s boxing world championships in 2021 after denying a Kosovo boxer a visa to take part in the ongoing women’s boxing World Championships here, the International Boxing Association (AIBA) said on Friday.
AIBA said in a statement that it would consider “reopening the bidding process” for the tournament.
“Any boxer shouldn’t be affected by any political decision while trying to achieve the dream of competing at the international level. Politics and sports should in no way be mixed. We appreciate the efforts made by the Boxing Federation of India, but AIBA will need to reconsider the 2021 Men’s World Championships bid,” AIBA president Gafur Rakhimov said.
Boxing Federation of India (BFI) president Ajay Singh said it was a matter of concern. “BFI has tried to persuade the government of India (on the Kosovo issue) and will continue to do so. The Indian Olympic Association has also written to the government. I think the government of India will find a way to ensure such an incident does not happen again,” he said.
The Indian government doesn’t recognise Kosovo, a disputed territory in south-eastern Europe.
It has been a subject of controversy for a week after Kosovo’s Donjeta Sadiku was denied an Indian visa for the second time. She earlier missed the Youth World Boxing Championships in Guwahati last year.
Noting that Spain last week relaxed visa rules for athletes from Kosovo, Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah wrote to Union sports minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on Thursday, highlighting that India’s stance was against the Olympic Charter. Al-Sabah added that the ban on Kosovo could jeopardise India’s chances of hosting major international tournaments.
The Indian Olympic Associa- tion is planning to bid for the 2026 Youth Olympics, among others.
A top government functionary said the Kosovo issue did not fall within the ambit of the sports ministry.
“We have taken it up with the ministry of external affairs and it’s their call at the end of the day,” the person said on condition of anonymity, hinting that pressure tactics will not work in diplomatic matters.
AIBA executive director Tom Virgets said the association was aware of International Olympic Committee protocols.
“We turned down Ukraine for the World Championships that are now going to take place in Sochi because they had the same problem,” Virgets said
Virgets said the AIBA executive committee will meet in January-end to decide on the bidding process for the Men’s Boxing World Championships in 2021 if assurances do not come from the Indian government by then.
“There is a small window. We have to put out these bids in not too distant future in January-February. If the Indian government can assure that all boxers will receive visas and won’t be denied for political reasons, it will make a difference,” he added.
BFI was also planning to bid for the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament. “Indian boxing is aggressively doing better and better, they have a business plan and developing rapidly. We would love to work side by side and assist them but this is one area we cannot compromise (on),” said Virgets.