Nikhat Zareen Faces Unexpected Defeat in Boxing Trials Ahead of Major Competitions

Nikhat Zareen's Shocking Exit from Trials

Two-time World Champion and Commonwealth gold medalist Nikhat Zareen experienced an unexpected setback during the boxing trials for the upcoming Commonwealth Games (CWG) and Asian Games. As one of India's top medal contenders, she faced a surprising defeat, losing 1-4 to Haryana's Sakshi Chaudhary, who competes for Services in the semifinal of the 51-kg category. Following her loss, Nikhat expressed her frustration regarding the tumultuous two-week lead-up to the trials.

For context, the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) were embroiled in a dispute over the selection process. SAI raised concerns about the BFI’s assessment-based selection model after receiving complaints from various boxers, which led to the suspension of the assessment camp intended for squad selection for the CWG and Asian Games. Consequently, the BFI had to revert to the traditional trial-based selection method.

In an interview after her defeat, Nikhat remarked that the uncertainty surrounding the selection process placed the boxers in a challenging situation. “The last two weeks felt like torture for us boxers. I don’t want to point fingers at anyone, but the athletes were caught in the middle of the conflict between SAI and BFI,” she stated.

She elaborated on the confusion, mentioning that they were informed the camp would commence on April 25, but the necessary approvals were delayed. “Then they announced that once the camp began on April 29, the assessment system would also kick off,” she added.

Nikhat also highlighted the pressure on athletes to avoid missing trials due to injuries, as it would result in point deductions, and they were instructed to maintain their weight during the camp. “First, it was five percent body weight, then four, then two, and finally one. They kept monitoring our weight until May 10,” she explained.

She expressed her disappointment that after weeks of preparation for the assessment camp, it was abruptly canceled, leaving the athletes feeling frustrated. “We underwent physical tests, beep tests, and strength tests, and everyone gave their best effort. In the end, we were told that the points from those tests wouldn’t be counted,” she lamented.

'I'm Mentally And Physically Drained' - Nikhat Zareen

Nikhat conveyed that she feels both mentally and physically exhausted and plans to take a short break to prepare for the Olympic qualifiers. “I am mentally and physically drained. Since January 2025, I haven’t had a break. Now I want to take a break and prepare for future tournaments,” she shared. “However, I’m focusing on the bigger picture, which is the World Olympic qualifiers,” she concluded.