New Delhi [India], November 2 (ANI): Former World Boxing president Boris van der Vorst has backed Boxing Federation of India (BFI) president Ajay Singh's leadership amid reports of differences within the federation, saying that stability and continuity are crucial for Indian boxing to build on its recent achievements.
Van der Vorst praised Singh and BFI CEO Arun Malik for their contribution to the sport by sending large teams to international competitions and creating an ecosystem for athletes to succeed.
Responding to a question on whether the differences between the federation's president and secretary could affect the progress made by Indian boxers, van der Vorst stressed that the interests of athletes must remain the top priority.
"First of all, the most important thing to stress is that you always have to put the interest of boxers first. And putting the interest of boxing first, the situation requires stability. And what you see now is that President Singh and especially CEO Arun Malik did a great job; they both did a great job for Indian boxing for the BFI by sending big teams to competitions, by creating an ecosystem where boxers can become successful. And I think with less than two years now and after the historic medal count during the Commonwealth Games and in the Asian Games, it's now necessary to continue that kind of leadership because it is really necessary for the boxers that they need stability and that's really crucial now," he told ANI.
Asked about Singh's leadership and administrative capabilities, van der Vorst highlighted his financial investment in the federation and the achievements of Indian boxers across age groups.
"How do you see it? He invests a lot in BFI and Indian boxing, and with all the historic medals, not only in elite boxing, but also in the youth. It is really unbelievable how much talent there is nowadays in India. And I think we as it's also important that other people also are going to stand up, that not only President Singh is the one who's investing his money into Indian boxing, that also other funding will be available because when I as a business person, when I need to invest money into sports in India, I should invest in boxing. After all, I see big chances there for India," he said.
Van der Vorst also expressed interest in India's grassroots boxing ecosystem, recalling his first visit to the country and praising the dedication and discipline of young boxers training at local gyms.
"Now what's important to stress is that a few years ago when I came to India the first time, I directly fell in love. What you see here in the gyms is, for me, really unbelievable. You don't see that in many other countries, the real hungriness, the dedication, the discipline, training two times a day in the heat and that's really a unique situation. And I think what is now coming together, saat saat, coming together is that everyone sees now the opportunity for Indian boxing to flourish and to get a unique medal count also in LA," he said.
He said the dedication, discipline and training routines of grassroots boxers were distinctive and reflected the opportunities available for Indian boxing to grow. He also expressed optimism about India's prospects of achieving a significant medal tally at the Los Angeles Olympics.
Van der Vorst's remarks come amid discussions over the leadership and functioning of the BFI, with the former World Boxing president emphasising that stability and wider financial support would be important for the sport's continued development. (ANI)
Former World Boxing president Boris van der Vorst calls for stability in Indian boxing
