Extravagant BFI sends 25 officials to Paris Olympics while Indian boxing staff survives on 'Maggi'

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While it's survival of the fittest for coaching staff associated with the Indian boxing team and staying outside the Olympic Games Village, it's party time for officials of the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) in Paris.

Extravagant BFI has invited more than 25 officials (president and secretaries) of the affiliated state units to witness the boxing competition at the ongoing Paris Olympic Games, to build up a tempo for the upcoming BFI elections.

What is the purpose of appointing more than 25 observers for the Paris Olympic Games?

The boxing competition began on July 27 and will continue till August 10. "BFI is spending a huge amount to impress state officials ahead of the BFI elections," a former national boxing coach said. "Instead, the funds could have been spent on the development of boxing in the states that have meagre resources."

The BFI official in Paris played down the election agenda saying, the invitation is to witness boxing competition in Paris and has nothing to do with the BFI elections schedule this year.

On the other hand, coaching staff associated with the Indian boxing team and staying outside the Games Village are struggling. "The out of pocket allowance is $100 per day per person. The amount is not enough to have two meals a day in Paris during the Olympic Games as it's very costly," one of the Indian boxing team officials said of managing with meagre resources.

"We go out to a nearby grocery store and cook our own meals. We can afford to have Maggi and bread/butter for meals." Officials staying outside the Games Village in the hotel booked by a private agency and approved by the sports ministry have the luxury of complimentary breakfast. But we have to make our own arrangements for lunch and dinner.

Six-member national boxing team, including four female boxers qualified for the Paris Olympic Games. The performance of the boxing team is far from satisfactory till now. Of the six boxers, Amit Panghal (men 51kg) and Jaismine Lamboria (women 57kg) bowed out early in the competition.

As per the official list of the Indian contingent and sanctioned by sports ministry, three coaches and one physio of the boxing team will be accommodated at the Games Village while a seven-member coaching staff (two coaches, a doctor, strength and conditioning expert, physio and two team officials) will be accommodated in a hotel outside Games Village.

The sports ministry has rented out 30 rooms in Hotel Adagio Tour Eiffel through a private company. The expenditure on the participation of the Indian contingent in the Paris Olympic Games will be borne by SAI under assistance to NSFs (National Sports Federations) as per norms.

The ministry has also decided to give $100 per person per day to all those additional support staff whose participation has been cleared at cost to the government, and will be staying in hotels and where meals are not provided. "Payment will directly go to bank accounts of contingent members," the sports ministry sanctioned letter said.