We can change Indian boxing's destiny: Sarita
Source: The Sangai Express / PTI
Kolkata, February 21 2016 :
Former world champion L
Sarita Devi on Saturday
lamented the long-dragging
administrative mess in Indian
boxing but said it is up to the
country's boxers to rise above
this crisis with their
performance at the Rio
Olympics.
India does not have a na-
tional federation after the
International Boxing Associa-
tion (AIBA) terminated
Boxing India last year.
The
sport is being administered by
an ad-hoc committee.
"At this moment, boxing
can go either way, we can't
say which way.
It's at cross-
roads but the destiny is in our
hands.
If we do well and put
India on top at Olympics, the
future will definitely be shin-
ing again," the Glasgow
Commonwealth Games bronze
medallist told PTI here on
Saturday.
"No doubt it's frus-
trating for the young boxers
that they don't have any
tournaments.
They're training
hard but clueless about their
competitions.
Hopefully things
will be fine soon," she added.
Having served a one-year
ban for her infamous emo-
tional outburst after a
controversial semifinal loss in
the 2014 Asian Games, Sarita
returned to the competitive
arena during a training-cum-
competition trip to China last
year and now won a gold in
the recently-concluded South
Asian Games in Shillong.
"It was my first major com-
petition after the ban and
winning gave me a huge con-
fidence ahead of the Olympic
qualification (Zonal qualifiers
in Qian'an from March 23-
April 3).It was great to win in
front of the home crowd,"
Sarita, who was here to take
part in 4km 'Run For A
Champ Who Refused To Give
Up', organised by Interna-
tional Institute of Hotel
Management, said.
In a stiff final bout during
the South Asian Games, Sarita
prevailed over Sri Lanka's M
Vidushika Prabadhi amid loud
cheers and she described the
atmosphere better than the
World Championship win in
Delhi in 2006."It was a
lovely atmosphere, I could say
even better than it was in
Delhi," said Sarita.
During the one-year ban by
AIBA, Sarita underwent a
surgery on her right wrist,
which she said is "perfect"
now.
"It's perfect now and I
don't feel any pain during my
bouts at the SAG.
We have
been training hard and it's time
to earn the Olympic berths.
That's the main focus," she
said.