Chandigarh, March 25 (Balbir Singh) The Indian Amateur Boxing Federation(IABF) President Abhey Singh Chautala today congratulated the five Indian boxers, including four from Haryana, for qualifying for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. He hoped that the Boxers would get medals and bring good name to Haryana and the Country.
HOA President Chautala, who is also president of the Haryana Olympic Association requested the Union and the states governments to bear the expense for training, fitness, diets, traveling, board and lodging and all other facilities of the qualifyed players. He said that over a period of time the players of Haryana has made a special place for themselves at the National and International level despite the obstructions and anti sports polices of the state government.
Mr. Chautala said that four players, Jitender Kumar, Akhil Kumar, Vijender Singh and Dinesh Kumar belong to Haryana where as the fifth pleyer A.L. Lakra hails from Jharkhand. He said that the players from Bhiwani district have defeated the medal winner players to qualify in the Olympics. Mr. Chautala, who is vice president of Asian Boxing Federation and Zonal in charge of 18 countries, disclosed that Union Government owes Rs 48 lakh to the IABF and the Government of India was also putting obstacles. He said that he would ensure that no harm to the players interests was done.
While critising the Hooda government, Mr. Chautala said that the State Government neither provided any training facilities nor the coaches and umpires for the games. He further stated that in spite of his repeated personal letters and reminders, the Chief Minister neither sanctioned any grant nor provided any technical help for coaching camps. He accused the state government of even issuing directions to his sports minister and other sports official that no sports or technical official should be provided to the HOA for the National and State Games.
IABF president said that despite all the anti sports activities of the present government, HOA had been successful in providing able leadership and guidance to the players of Haryana He said that politics should not be mixed with the sports and governments should desist from interfering in to the sports and their management.