TOI Exclusive: Boxing coach Santiago Nieva resigns, to take up job in Australia

Santiago Nieva, on Friday resigned from his position, citing a "better opportunity" from Boxing Australia. Santiago was offered a contract extension as the HPD of the Indian men's boxing team till the 2024 Paris Olympics in January this year, which ended months of uncertainty surrounding his future post the country's boxers' underwhelming performance at the Tokyo Olympics. At NIS Patiala on Friday, a teary-eyed Santiago broke the news to his fellow coaches and boxers at the men's national camp during the evening sparring session, sources confirmed to TOI.

Santiago's sudden resignation will mark the end of his association of five years with Indian boxers. He had filled the position left vacant by Cuban BI Fernandes. Prior to this assignment, Santiago was the International Boxing Association (AIBA) coaches commission vice-chairman.

With Santiago's resignation, Indian pugilists have been left without any foreign coach after women's boxing's HPD, Italian Raffaele Bergamasco's contract was not renewed post the Tokyo Olympics. A source told TOI that when the coaching staff assembled at the boxing hall in NIS for the evening session, Santiago requested everyone's attention for an announcement. "Everyone was in shock after hearing about his resignation.

It was something out of the blue and, for a moment, the coaches and support staff personnel were left speechless," the source informed. "Santiago told us that he has got an offer from Australian boxing federation and that he has accepted it. He will be joining there as the head coach.