SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad Sept 7: A boxing ring has become a battle ring between the officials of Dhanbad and Ranchi districts boxing associations.
The Dhanbad district boxing association claims the boxing ring in the State capital belongs to it but the Ranchi boxing association has occupied it for last two years and refused to send it back despite repeated demands.
In November 2019 on directive of the then sports minister Amar Bauri, the boxing ring of Dhanbad was brought to Bokaro district ( home town of Bauri) for a tournament. Interestingly after the conclusion of the tournament in Bokaro, rather than sending back the Boxing Ring to Dhanbad, officials of the state sports department dispatched it to Ranchi.
“Due to lack of the boxing ring, our national medal winner boxers have to practice in open. Ranchi has already two boxing rings and both are reportedly lying unused. Despite repeated reminder letters to the Ranchi association, we have not got any response in the last two years,” said Paritosh Kumar, general secretary of the Dhanbad district association.
During the 34th National Games, 2011 nine boxing rings had been purchased. After the conclusion of the National Games, the state government allotted one of the boxing rings to the Dhanbad district for the promotion of the event.
The newly elected office-bearer of the Dhanbad district association on Tuesday said that since the game of boxers is suffering, they would rake up the boxing ring issue at the state government level to take back from Ranchi.
“ In last five years 10 boxers of Dhanbad have won medals in sub-junior, junior, and senior groups of the national championship but now their practice has been affected without a boxing ring,” said Paritosh Kumar. He further added that no doubt boxing competition is three minutes game but for it, boxers have to practice at least 8 hours in a day.
An official of the Ranchi Boxing Association when contacted said that the boxing ring belongs to the government and the sports department has given it to Ranchi. “So why would we send it back to Dhanbad,” he asked requesting anonymity.
