NEW DELHI: The Target Olympic Podium (TOP) committee, constituted last month to boost medal prospects for 2020 Olympic Games, has jumped into the ring of controversy. Spice Jet owner Ajay Singh-led Boxing Federation of India (BFI), has objected to the selection of TOP member P K Murlidhar Raja as boxing representative for Olympics. The government-affiliated BFI claims that Raja is not associated with it.
Raising objection over Raja’s selection, BFI has said that he has been associated with professional boxing and not with BFI. They reasoned that Raja might have expertise in pro-boxing but he is not associated with the federation. The BFI got international recognition in September last when international boxing body AIBA granted it membership. And with this, the opportunities in international training-cum-competition events are set to increase for Indian boxers. BFI secretary general Jay Kowlie said, “We are not objecting to him. We are objecting his selection as the representative has to be from BFI.”
Meanwhile, Sports Ministry sources said that Raja is a respected name in the boxing circle and the team has been constituted after proper screening of all the members, keeping in view their contributions. “Raja is a promoter of pro-boxing. The ministry is looking into the matter and the preparation for Olympic Games is a priority of the ministry,” an official said.
The mandate of TOP is to select elite athletes who will be provided financial assistance for customised training at institutes with world-class facilities. The committee is headed by Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra and the members include P T Usha and Karnam Malleshwari.
The committee also has a joint secretary of the Sports Ministry as one of its members and constitution of the committee is expected
to result in improved performance and a higher position in medals tally for the country, officials said.
In 2010 when India was hosting Commonwealth Games, Raja, a promoter of professional boxing and a Retd Army officer, was secretary general of Indian Amateur Boxing Federation.