Lalitpur, May 30

Nepal Boxing Association is set to get Rs 10-million worth equipment support from world governing body.

According to honorary life president Bishnu Gopal Shrestha, the AIBA had promised the support during the ASBC Asian Boxing Championship held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan earlier this month. “We had a fruitful meeting with International Boxing Association (AIBA) President CK Wu and he has assured us of supporting in the development of boxing in Nepal,” said Shrestha during a press meet today.

“The AIBA President Wu has asked us to submit the plans and programmes for the next two-and-half years,” he said. “We also discussed about funding and support through Heads-Up project apart from preparing coaches and referees through solidarity course,” Shrestha added. “The AIBA President has also accepted our invitation to visit Nepal this year.”

The NBA team also met with Asian Boxing Confederation President Serik Konakbayev and officials from Singapore and India on the sidelines of the championship in Tashkent. “The Indian officials have proposed three venues and they have assured of hosting our boxers for training,” he added. “The future of boxing looks bright and the sport can make the country proud. We just need to push a little bit to maretalise the dreams,” Shrestha said.

National Sports Council Member Secretary Keshab Kumar Bista asked the NBA officials to focus on Asian Games, South Asian Games and Olympics. “We are ready to support boxing as it is one of the priority sports of the government,” he said. Bista also said the NBA would get recognition from the NSC very soon. “We have already started the process and it will not stop now,” he said.

Bista also said the NSC was forming a Task Force to perform jobs more effectively. “Leading the NSC is a technical thing and I believe we are lost in administrative processes. I have to change it if we are to move forward. So that I am forming a Task Force tomorrow,” he added.

NBA President Ram Awale said the Uzbekistan tour was successful and effective. “Although, both the boxers Deep Shrestha and Puran Rai failed to qualify for the World Boxing Championship, the tour was fruitful as we were able to build international relation,” he said.