Asian Games Selections Biased, Made To Feel Unworthy In National Camp: Amit Panghal

Having dragged the national federation to the court over his non-selection in the Indian team for the Asian Games, world championships silver medallist boxer Amit Panghal alleged that he has been "demotivated" and made to feel unworthy during his time at national camp. Panghal, the country's lone men's world championships silver medallist, has filed a writ petition in Punjab and Haryana high court along with two other boxers -- Sagar Ahlawat and Rohit Mor against the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) after being left out from the Indian squad for the continental event to be held from September 23 to October 8 in China.

"I have asked for a trial. I don't understand this new points system," Panghal, who is the reigning Asian Games light flyweight champion, told PTI on Saturday.

"Even during the world championships, the boxer selected in my weight class (Deepak) based on this system lost to the pugilist I had beaten 5-0 but they are still continuing with it."

A former world number one, Panghal has medals in the all big ticket events barring the Olympics. He had defeated world championship bronze medallist Deepak Bhoria, who has been selected the 51kg weight class for the Asiad, during the Commonwealth Games trial last year.

"I have beaten him in trials before. Even in the points system I am ahead of him but at the end of the week I am somehow number 2.

"I have been demotivated in the camp, because they want to send their own people. If people around you keep saying a person is useless, you start feeling that way," he added.

The 27-year-old also claimed that there is no transparency in the new evaluation system.

"They don't tell us anything about the marking. They assessed on weight training, but I am ahead of him in that as