IOA treasurer demands emergent meeting on boxing issue
New Delhi: With its top officials contradicting each other after a corporate-house led group was given recognition to revive the Indian Boxing Federation, Indian Olympic Association Treasurer Anil Khanna has demanded an emergent meeting of the IOA’s Executive Committee to take stock of the controversial issue. IOA Treasurer Anil Khanna on Tuesday shot off a letter to President N Ramachandran and Secretary General Rakesh Gupta to immediately call a meeting to discuss the provisional recognition given to ‘Boxing India’ — a brainchild of two private business houses — by the International Boxing Association (AIBA). “There is lack of understanding on the legal status of this new organisation called Boxing India. I have strong views on this subject which I had informed the president on 3rd April itself. I do not wish to express my views through this letter but would like to do so in the meeting of the Executive Council,” Khanna said in the letter. “It is urgently requested that we have an emergent meeting of the Executive Council and give due importance to the views of all the office bearers including vice-presidents, joint secretaries and executive committee members,” said Khanna, who is also the All India Tennis Association president. “I believe that we must respect the Government of India, law of the land and the IOA. If there is unanimity and clear understanding between these organisations, there is no reason for an International Sports Federation not to give recognition to a properly approved body,” he added. (PTI)
Top seed Radwanska loses opener at Eastbourne
EASTBOURNE: Top seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland failed to reach the second round of the Aegon International when she was beaten 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (4) by Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia on Monday. But defending champion Elena Vesnina of Russia held off a strong challenge to beat Shuai Peng of China 6-3, 6-4, and there was another hard-fought victory for 2012 runner-up Angelique Kerber of Germany, who defeated Alison Riske of the United States 7-6 (6), 6-4. Radwanska won the grass-court tournament in 2008, but she has since fallen in the first round four times and not won a match at Eastbourne since she reached the quarterfinals in 2011. Despite her early exit, Radwanska was not too concerned about her lack of match preparation for Wimbledon. In 2012 after a first-round defeat she went on to reach the Wimbledon final, and last year after an opening-round loss she reached the semifinals there. “The first match (on grass) is always tricky,” she said. “Well, it was a great match before Wimbledon to get used to it. It was a really good match, actually. I just hope I can do the same good results (at Wimbledon) this year.” Eastbourne also features No. 8 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus. A former No. 1, a left foot injury restricted her to just one match since she surrendered her Australian Open title in the quarterfinals in January. Drawn to face Italian Camila Giorgi in her opening match on Tuesday, Azarenka said, “I’m very excited. I can’t wait to play. It’s not important for me who’s going to be on the other side. I just want to see what I can do, and just see how to raise my level from there. “I have been tested in practice, but competition is a completely different thing.” (Agencies)