India at Paris Olympics: Amit Panghal Unlikely To Get Personal Coaches at Games Village

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Amit Panghal, India's ace boxer in the men's 51kg category, is facing a significant challenge ahead of the Paris Olympics 2024. Hemanta Kumar Kalita, secretary general of the Boxing Federation of India (BFI), indicated that Panghal's personal coach might not be accommodated in the Games Village.

"Only those officials/coaches whose names were on the long list given to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) would be eligible to stay. I doubt Panghal's personal coach would get space at the Games Village," Kalita told myKhel.

This development occurs amidst Panghal's focused training regimen in India. Despite the uncertainty about his coach's accommodation, Panghal prefers training in India, based on his past experiences and personal preferences.

Choosing not to join his peers in international training camps, the 28-year-old boxer has decided to stay back and prepare under the guidance of his basics coach, Anil Dhankhar, and Cuban coach BI Fernandes at the National Centre of Excellence in Rohtak.

This development comes after the decision was made to accommodate the personal coaches of two star athletes - badminton champion PV Sindhu's mentor Prakash Padukone and wrestler Vinesh Phogat's coach Woller Akos, as reported English daily 'The Tribune'.

Vijay Kamboj, the masseur for the Indian boxing team, will be moved out of the Paris Olympics Games Village to make room for the personal coaches of two high-profile athletes-badminton champion PV Sindhu's mentor Prakash Padukone and wrestler Vinesh Phogat's coach Woller Akos, as reported by 'The Tribune'.

Kamboj will be placed in a hotel, requiring him to travel daily to the Games Village and potentially even the North Paris Arena, where boxing competitions are held, to provide his services to the athletes. This additional travel could create logistical challenges and potentially disrupt his routine.

According to reports, this decision was made under pressure from officials who want to avoid negative publicity. Wrestler Vinesh Phogat has been vocal about the lack of support she received in the past, particularly at the Tokyo Olympics, where she cited the absence of her physiotherapist as a factor in her performance. Officials seem keen to prioritize the needs of prominent athletes to prevent similar criticisms.

This situation highlights the ongoing struggle to balance the needs of top athletes with the need for fairness and equal support for all competitors. While the importance of personal coaches and support staff is clear, the logistical challenges and potential unfairness towards other athletes also need attention.