Nikhat Zareen’s Paris Olympic challenge: How IOC-IBA rift left her unseeded and vulnerable

Nikhat Zareen, one of India’s best hopes for a boxing medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, finds herself in a challenging position due to the ongoing conflict between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Boxing Association (IBA).

Despite winning two World Championships in this Olympic cycle, Nikhat Zareen did not receive a top seeding in her category, making her path to a medal significantly harder.

Tough draw for Nikhat Zareen at Paris Olympics

Nikhat Zareen’s luck with tournament draws has been unfavourable. Unseeded at the 2023 World Championships and the 2023 Asian Games, she again faces a difficult draw at the Paris Olympics.

This means she must compete against some of the best boxers in her weight category from the very beginning, requiring her to fight five highly competitive matches.

Nikhat Zaren’s challenging bracket

In the Round of 32, Nikhat Zareen is set to face Germany’s Maxi Karina Kloetzer. If she progresses, her next opponent will be Wu Yu, the top-seeded boxer in the 50 kg category and the 2023 World Championship gold medallist in the 52 kg category. Although Wu’s first Olympic bout could be a rusty start, Zareen would still face a tough challenge.

Should Nikhat Zareen overcome Wu, she would then likely face Thailand’s Chuthamat Raksat, a boxer who has consistently troubled her and recently beat her at the Asian Games. If Raksat loses her bout, Zareen would face Uzbekistan’s Sabina Bobokulova, to whom she recently lost narrowly.

Further, Zareen’s semi-final opponents could include Colombia’s Ingrit Valencia, Asian Games bronze medallist Y Oyuntsetseg, or Kazakh boxer Nazym Kyzaibay.

If Zareen reaches the final, she could face Turkey’s Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Bus Naz Cakiroglu, whom she recently defeated.

Skewed draws: The Root Cause

The skewed draws can be attributed to the IOC not recognising the IBA, which means Zareen’s World Championships victories did not contribute to her seeding as per Indian Express. The Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU) devised a seeding system prioritising continental qualifiers and champions. As a result, boxers like Zareen missed out on seeding, which could have granted a direct entry into the Round of 16 and fewer matches to reach the final.

Plight of other Indian boxers: Lovlina Borgohain, Amit Panghal

Nikhat Zareen is not alone in facing a tough draw. Amit Panghal, making a comeback after three years, finds himself in the same bracket as Hsanboy Dusmatov and Saken Bibossinov, both top contenders.

Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain, seeded eighth, is set to meet Li Qian in the quarter-finals, should both win their initial bouts.

Jaismine Lamboriya faces Tokyo silver medallist Nesthy Petecio in her opening bout in the 57kg category, while Preeti Pawar meets Vietnam’s Vo Thi Kim Anh in her first match.

Ray of Hope: Nishant Dev

Among the Indian boxers, Nishant Dev has the most favourable draw. The 2023 World Championship bronze medallist has a bye in the Round of 16, then faces Ecuador’s Tenorio Rodriquez and potentially Mexico’s Marco Alonso Verde in the quarterfinals. In the semi-final, he could face Kazakh boxer Aslam Shymbergenov in a World Championship rematch.

Paris Olympics and Indian boxers

The IOC and IBA conflict has undeniably affected Indian boxers’ chances at the Paris Olympics. Despite these challenges, Nikhat Zareen and her compatriots remain determined to overcome the tough draws and make their mark on the global stage. The road to Olympic glory is never easy, but these athletes are prepared to give their best efforts in Paris.