Wary of pollution, boxers ready to combat Delhi air
I came from a country which has the cleanest air, so pollution is a problem. But I will have to adjust to that. MIRA POTKONEN, Finnish boxer
NEW DELHI: The Capital’s poor air quality becomes a cause for concern whenever an international sporting event takes place here around this time of the year. Some of the participants in the World Boxing Championships here can be seen wearing masks, but most feel competing indoors negates the worry for them.
Many squads have come prepared and therefore the conditions here did not catch them offguard. Mira Potkonen of Finland, who was here in January, was not too concerned.
“I came from a country which has the cleanest air, so pollution is a problem. But I will have to adjust to that. I won’t go for jogs and try to concentrate on indoor training,” said Potkonen, bronze medallist in 60kg at the 2016 Olympics and World Championships.
“But I like the warm weather in Delhi. I knew what to expect as I was here in January for the India Open Boxing.”
The England squad that arrived a day after Diwali said the situation was not ideal but they were prepared for it. “We came well prepared. We were briefed on what to expect. It is not ideal, but we don’t want to think too much about it,” Sandy Ryan said.
India’s multiple-time World Championships medallist Mary Kom recalled instances when she had to train indoors in other countries. “In the past we have travelled for competitions where chill and snow forced us to train indoors. We have visited countries just a day or two before the event and it was a problem to get used to the weather,” Mary said.
The Boxing Federation of India, organisers of the event, said it has taken necessary precautions to deal with the situation. “The effect of firecrackers set off during the festival of Diwali would soon go away. We are confident there will not be any problems faced by the boxers, especially with the championship being held indoors. We have all the necessary standards maintained and precautions taken.”