New Delhi, Feb 24 (Agency) In order to allow its elite boxers more opportunities during their trials, the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) on Thursday announced its new trials policy for the upcoming IBA Elite Women’s World Championships, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games selections. Selection trials for all 12 categories of the Women’s World Championships will take place from March 7 to 9 and will also include Asian Games weights divisions, which are the same as IBA. However, for the remaining two Asian Games weight categories, 51 kg and 69 kg, trials will be conducted separately, from March 11 to 14 thereby giving more time to boxers of closest weight categories to also take a shot at the trials for Asian Games. “There are three categories which are the same in the World Championships and Asian Games. Different selection trials dates will allow boxers to change weight categories and present their challenge for Asian Games as well. This format will give boxers, whose category is not part of Asiad, big relief as they still can participate in both the events with different weight divisions,” said Himanta Kalita, Secretary of Boxing Federation of India. The Asian Games selection trials for men will be held in May, while for the Commonwealth Games, trials for both men and women will be conducted in June.
National campers, including the participants of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, who didn’t compete in the National Championships, will be eligible for the selection trials. The selection committee, comprising BFI President or his nominee alongside an expert panel of reputed veteran boxers, will ensure a smooth conduct of the trials as all the bouts will be video recorded. “BFI is committed to give each and every boxer an equal opportunity and the upcoming selection trials will be no different. There will be a transparent approach to select the best boxers to represent the country,” added Kalita. The IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships is scheduled from May 6 to 21 in Istanbul, Turkey, while the 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2022 Asian Games will begin on July 28 and September 10 respectively. Weight categories: (Women- 12 main weight categories) IBA World Championship: 48 kg, 50 kg, 52 kg, 54 kg, 57 kg, 60 kg, 63 kg, 66 kg, 70 kg, 75 kg, 81 kg, +81kg Asian Games: 51 kg, 57 kg, 60 kg, 69 kg, 75 kg. (Total 5) (Men) Asian Games: 52 kg, 57 kg, 63 kg, 69 kg, 75 kg, 81 kg, 91 kg, +91 kg (Total 8).