Paris Olympics 2024: How IOC-IBA Conflict Impacted Boxer Nikhat Zareen's Medal Hopes

Due to the International Olympic Committee not recognizing the International Boxing Association, both World Championships won by Nikhat Zareen in this Olympic cycle did not grant her a top seeding in her category.

Despite her impressive track record, Zareen was unseeded at the 2023 World Championships and the 2023 Asian Games, resulting in a tough draw for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

India's top boxing medal hopeful at the 2024 ARIS Olympics, Zareen, faces a challenging path. Unseeded, she is drawn into a group with some of the best boxers in her weight category. She will have to fight five highly competitive matches, each against skilled opponents, a recurring challenge for Zareen in this Olympic cycle.

The Olympics are notoriously tough, as her teammate Amit Panghal can attest. The International Olympic Committee's handling of the seeding for the Paris Games has placed top boxers from various countries in the same bracket, making the competition even fiercer.

Zareen's bracket is particularly challenging. She starts against Germany's Maxi Karina Kloetzer in the Round of 32, followed by a showdown with Wu Yu, the top-seeded boxer in the Paris Olympics 50 kg category and the 2023 World Championship gold medallist in the 52 kg category. Zareen's advantage lies in facing Wu in her first Olympics, which might see a rusty start for the Chinese boxer. However, even if Zareen wins, she would next face Thailand's Chuthamat Raksat, a boxer who has consistently troubled her.

If Raksat loses, Zareen will face Uzbekistan's Sabina Bobokulova, whom she recently lost to at the Strandja Memorial.

In the semi-final, Zareen could face top Colombian boxer Ingrit Valencia, Asian Games bronze medallist Y Oyuntsetseg, or Kazakh boxer Nazym Kyzaibay. Should she overcome these four matches, she might encounter Turkey's Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Bus Naz Cakiroglu, whom she recently defeated 4-1.

The skewed draw resulted from the IOC needing to recognize the IBA, leading to Zareen's lack of top seeding despite her World Championships victories. The Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU) devised a seeding method, prioritizing Continental qualifiers. Champions from continental Games and second-placed boxers from Asian, European, and American events received seedings. Still, Zareen and Nishant Dev missed out, denying them a direct entry into the Round of 16.

For other Indian boxers, the situation is similarly dire. Amit Panghal, returning to action after three years, is in the same bracket as favourites Hsanboy Dusmatov and Saken Bibossinov. Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain, seeded eighth, is set to meet Li Qian in the quarterfinals. Jasmine Lamboriya faces Tokyo silver medallist Nesthy Petecio in her opening, and Asian Games bronze medallist Preeti Pawar faces Vietnam's Vo Thi Kim Anh in her opener.

Nishant Dev has the best draw among Indian boxers. The 2023 World Championship bronze medallist has a bye in the Round of 16, then faces Ecuador's Tenorio Rodriquez and Mexico's Marco Alonso Verde in the quarterfinals, with a potential World Championship rematch against Kazakh boxer Aslam Shymbergenov in the semi-final.

#indianews #indiaupdate #olympics2024 #parispolympics #boxing