Boxers Panghal, Rohit receive show cause notice for "poor discipline"

The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has issued showcause notice to world championships silver medallist Amit Panghal and two others for leaving the national camp without approval, a day before they were to fly out for the Asian Games pre training camp in China.

Panghal (51kg), Commonwealth Games silver medallist Sagar Ahlawat (+92kg) and national champion Rohit Mor (57kg), who are on the reserve list for the Asian Games, left the national camp in NIS Patiala without seeking permission on September 4, according to the federation.

The boxers who are in China either refused to comment or were unavailable when PTI reached out to them.

Incidentally, all three pugilists are currently embroiled in court case with the BFI over selection for the Asian Games.

"On 4th September 2023 three boxers, Sagar 92+ kg, Rohit Mor 57 kg and Amit Panghal 51 kg left the National coaching camp without any prior approval or prior permission of coach/Head Coach/federation," BFI said in a statement.

"This is gross violation of the regulations followed by the BFI. In addition, this was a very critical time when boxers cannot be missing and have to keep the federation informed about their whereabouts due to regulations by NADA/WADA since all three of them are reserve athletes for the upcoming Asian Games."

The national federation has sought answers from the trio for the "action of indiscipline."

"The federation has taken a serious view of this gross violation and poor discipline exhibited by these three boxers. As per the procedures all three were issued show cause on 6th September 2023 to explain as to why they took this action of indiscipline and violated the athlete code of conduct."

Panghal, Ahlawat and Mor moved the High Court against BFI after they were left out of the Indian squad for the Asian Games to be held from September 23 to October 8 in Hangzhou, China.