The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) faced severe embarrassment and backlash after a major logistical failure left numerous boxers, coaches, and support staff stranded in the bitter cold on the penultimate night of the Elite National Boxing Championships in Greater Noida.
A Night in the Cold: Teams Forced Out of Lodgings
On the evening of Friday, January 9, 2026, contingents from several states returned from a day of intense semi-final bouts at Gautam Buddha University only to find their belongings outside their rooms. They were informed that their accommodation at various hostels and lodges had been booked only until that day and were asked to vacate immediately. This left athletes and officials, already exhausted from a hectic day of competition, with nowhere to go as temperatures plummeted to around 6-7 degrees Celsius.
Teams from Telangana, Kerala, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Chhattisgarh were among those affected. A coach, speaking anonymously, described the scene: "This happened around 7:30 pm. Our players and coaches were told to leave as the booking was only till today. We were left standing outside the hostel with no alternative arranged."
BFI's Delayed Response and Mounting Anger
The BFI officials were initially unreachable for comment. Later, the federation issued a statement acknowledging the issue and claiming immediate remedial steps. "Immediate steps have been taken to ensure that the affected athletes have been accommodated at the nearest facility at GB University," the statement read, without clarifying the root cause of the oversight.
However, this solution came only after many had already endured several hours in the open. Some teams still hadn't received alternative accommodation by late evening. The anger among participants was palpable. "This is the basic duty of the organisers," a frustrated team official stated. "We are worried about the boxers who are distressed. We have a finalist competing tomorrow, and this is the situation we are in."
Another coach revealed this was not an isolated incident, citing a similar, though less severe, issue the previous night around 8 pm. The prospectus for the Nationals clearly states that 'Free Lodging & Boarding will be provided to boxers and officials by the organisers' for the tournament's duration.
A Tournament Marred by Controversies
This accommodation fiasco is the latest in a series of problems plaguing this edition of the Nationals. The event, originally scheduled for December 30 to January 7, was postponed to January 4-10 due to poor air quality in the National Capital Region. The championship's first day witnessed a delay of over five hours due to logistical issues, and there have been persistent allegations of biased refereeing throughout the competition.
The incident has raised serious questions about the planning and execution capabilities of the organisers, casting a shadow over a premier national sporting event and the well-being of India's top boxing talent.
