India boxing's high performance director Bernard Dunne resigned after the nation's disastrous performance in the first World Olympic Boxing Qualifiers on Thursday. The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) is also considering saving foreign coach Dmitry Dmitruk ahead of the upcoming Paris Olympic Games 2024.
Indian boxers produced a poor display at the Asian Games and the first World Olympic Boxing Qualifier in Italy where not a single boxer managed to secure a Paris qualification. Dunne, who was appointed as India boxing's high performance director in October 2022, resigned immediately from Italy.
The Boxing Federation of India is set to hold an executive meeting on Friday as they look to rely on Indian coaches only with four months remaining to prepare for the Paris Games.
"Bernard is out," BFI Secretary General Hemanta Kalita was quoted saying by PTI. "We have called an executive meeting tomorrow, where we will assess everything. A call on Dmitry's future will also be taken in tomorrow's meeting. There will be no foreign coaches as of now. We will be looking at Indian coaches."
Meanwhile, India's top boxer Nishant Dev missed out on the Paris Olympics quota after falling to USA’s Omari Jones in the quarter-final at the qualifiers in Italy. He was the top performer for India in the qualifier before losing to Jones by 1-4 in the 71kg category.
Barring Nishant's road to the quarter-final, the remaining eight Indian participants lost in the opening round in Italy, raising concerns for BFI for the Olympics preparations.
India have secured four quotas in Boxing for the Paris Games with Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg), Parveen Hooda (57kg), and ace boxer Lovlina Borgohain (75kg). The second World Olympic Boxing Qualifier begins on May 23 in Bangkok which will be the last way for the Indian boxers to secure Paris Games qualification.
