Asian Games selections were biased, made to feel unworthy in national camp, claims Panghal
New Delhi (PTI): 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 well. But at the end of the week, I am rated below (him). I don't understand this system.
"Where they are deducting my points, where exactly my opponent is scoring, no one knows that, they don't tell us. I don't know what and how to improve." Sagar (+92kg) and Rohit (57kg) also finished second in their respective weight categories behind Sachin Siwach and Narender Berwal under BFI's selection policy respectively.
The Punjab and Haryana high court has sought response from the BFI as well as the Sports Ministry. The hearing for the case is scheduled for Monday and Panghal is hopeful of a favourable verdict.
"The hearing is on Monday. I think it will be in my favour as I am ahead of him in all the tests, and I have beaten him in trials before." Commonwealth Games silver medallist Sagar also claimed that the new system of selection is biased. "Last time there were trials (CWG). The boxer who is selected I had beaten him 5-0. Now they are doing assessment they select whoever they want. They have no procedure," he said.
The BFI, however, maintained that the new selection process was been made clear to all boxers in the camp and the same will be followed.
According to the selection policy, which has been in place since this year, boxers undergo an evaluation process for three weeks where they are judged on various parameters.
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Noida International Airport appoints Nitu Samra as interim CEO
New Delhi (PTI): Noida International Airport on Friday announced the appointment of its Chief Financial Officer Nitu Samra as the interim Chief Executive Officer after authorities denied permission for foreign national Christoph Schnellmann to be at the helm.
"This change follows directions issued by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) that the Chief Executive Officer of an airport in India is required to be an Indian national," NIA said in a statement.
Samra will replace Schnellmann, a Swiss national who has led Noida International Airport (NIA) as the CEO since August 2020.
The regulatory issue related to the requirement of having an Indian national as CEO has been delaying the start of commercial operations of the airport, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 28.
Schnellmann will join the airport's Board of Directors as Executive Vice Chairman. In this role, he will continue to support the project and its transition to operations, the statement said.
With immediate effect, NIA said Samra has been appointed as the CEO on an interim basis until the Board of Directors can conclude a formal selection process.
Samra has been serving as the CFO since October 2021 and was closely involved in the airport’s development journey, overseeing financial stewardship, governance, and strategic planning during a key phase of the project, the statement added.
NIA will be operated by Yamuna International Airport Pvt Ltd (YIAPL), a subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG, under a public-private partnership.
Originally scheduled to commence passenger services in September 2024, NIA is being developed in four phases, along with a dedicated cargo terminal. It received an aerodrome license from the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in March.
YIAPL Chairman Daniel Bircher said that since the inauguration of the airport by the Prime Minister, the goal was to enable the start of operations as early as possible.
"This management change brings the airport into compliance with Bureau of Civil Aviation Security requirements while maintaining continuity in the airport’s leadership team. The newly structured team will support a smooth transition into operations, guided by clear and transparent governance and a strong corporate culture," he said.
On March 28, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said commercial flight operations from the airport would start in the next 45 to 60 days.
Among the largest greenfield airport projects in the country, NIA will initially have a capacity to handle 12 million passengers per annum.
Once fully developed, the airport will have a total passenger handling capacity of 70 million.
The first phase of NIA has been developed at an investment of around Rs 11,200 crore. 'DXN' is the code for the airport.
The airport features a 3,900-metre runway capable of handling wide-body aircraft, along with modern navigation systems, including Instrument Landing System (ILS) and advanced airfield lighting.
The peak handling capacity in the first phase will be 30 flights per hour.
In the first phase, there will be 28 aircraft stands, and the projected cargo capacity is around 2.5 lakh tonnes.
Terminal 1 of the airport is spread across 1,37,985 square metres with 48 check-in counters. Over 40 acres of land have been earmarked for developing MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) facilities at the airport.
