CHENNAI: After days of trepidation and uncertainty, most of the boxers and coaching staff were allowed to enter the NIS Patiala facilities on Sunday. The rest will follow on Monday. It is understood that the Sports Authority of India (SAI) had an online orientation programme with all the boxers who were quarantined outside the main premises on Sunday. They were asked to adhere to the SAI’s standard operating procedures (SOP) during their stay inside.
The camp is for elite boxers, who have either qualified for Tokyo Olympics or are on the verge of qualifying. The boxers started assembling in Patiala earlier this month. Three coaches — CA Kuttappa (men’s), Mohammad Ali Qamar (women’s) and Chhote Lal — too entered the NIS facilities late in the evening after completing their quarantine period. In fact, the coaches had to go for another round of Covid-19 tests after a doctor tested positive last week. Their results were negative. Team physio Rohit Kashyap has also entered the premises.
It is learnt that to the relief of the pugilists and boxing federation officials, five male boxers — Gaurav Solanki (57kg), Kavinder Singh Bisht (57kg), Mohammad Hussamuddin (57kg), Deepak Kumar (52kg) and one more — were allowed to enter. The four who reached Patiala late will follow after completing their quarantine period. Two female boxers had apparently entered the premises on Saturday and two on Sunday. Pooja Rani (75kg), Simranjit Kaur (64kg), Sonia Lather and Sakshi Chaudhary (57kg) are inside. Only Manisha Moun (57kg) is not there.
All the boxers have been put up in a separate wing and asked not to mingle with athletes (athletics and weightlifting teams) who are already inside. World Championships silver winner Amit Panghal (52kg), Asian silver medallist Ashish Kumar (75kg), Brijesh Yadav (81kg) and Sanjeet (91kg) are expected to enter on Monday.
Sources in SAI said all the boxers were asked to adhere to the SAI SOP. They should not mingle or interact with athletes who are already stationed inside the campus. Any breach would be strictly dealt with.
The training might take a few more days to start as they might not have access to all the facilities as of now. But the boxers and the coaching staff are not in a hurry either. The priority for them is to ensure all procedures are followed and wait for the time to start training. The boxing camp was embroiled in a controversy when three boxers were allegedly seen violating quarantine norms. A few days later, a doctor also tested positive. The inquiry is not yet over though.