Picture Credit: X
India is set to play a vital role in representing and structuring Asia’s boxing body, a continental body. In a wake of development, Tokyo Olympics medalist Lovlina Borgohain has been included in the newly formed interim Asian body, which is set to overlook working in the Asian subcontinent. Along with Lovlina Borgohain, Boxing Federation of India (BFI) President, Ajay Singh along with five others will hold key positions in the Federation.
Furthermore, Indian officials will get to represent on all key commissions, ensuring a strong voice in policy making and strategic direction. This includes BFI Secretary General Hemanta Kumar Kalita, who will play a crucial role on the Olympic Commission, and BFI Treasurer Digvijay Singh, who will serve on the Finance and Audit Committee.
In the press release, Ajay Singh quoted this inclusion as a milestone for Indian athletes, especially from the boxing world. "The creation of Asian Boxing marks a significant milestone for World Boxing and a crucial step toward ensuring that boxing remains a part of the Olympic Games in LA 2028 and beyond," Singh was quoted as saying in a media release. “India is proud to be at the heart of this transformative initiative, contributing to the process of securing boxing’s Olympic future," he added.
It’s an honour to represent India: Lovlina Borgohain on becoming the voice of Asian athletes
The bronze medal winner in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in the women's welterweight event, Lovlina Borgohain feels proud to be a part of the newly formed body and to be a voice of Asian athletes in global boxing stage. “It is an honour to represent India as a member of the Athletes’ Commission in Asian Boxing. This is a vital platform to ensure that athletes’ voices are heard and prioritized in the decision-making process," she said.
She emphasized on better training infrastructure and opportunities for Asian players on the global stage as she said, “My focus will be on advocating for better training infrastructure, fair opportunities, and robust support systems throughout Asia that empower boxers to excel on the global stage.” "India’s active participation in this body reinforces our commitment to fostering talent and promoting boxing as a leading sport across Asia and together, we can create a future where athletes thrive and the sport reaches new heights of excellence," she continued.
This announcement comes after India got the right to host the World Boxing Cup Final in November 2025. Also, this inclusion of Asian athletes and officials has come at the right time when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) threatened to exclude boxing from the 2028 LA Olympics unless respective national federations take a step back from the suspended International Boxing Association (IBA) and go ahead to form a new governing body.
