Boxers, coaches, and officials from several states were asked to vacate their allotted rooms during the ongoing National Boxing Championships on Friday, sparking fresh logistical concerns. Officials reported that their bookings were not confirmed for the final three days of the tournament. The Boxing Federation of India intervened, relocating affected athletes to GB University for the night.
Boxers, coaches, and team officials from several state units were instructed to vacate their allotted accommodation at the ongoing National Boxing Championships on Friday, January 9, 2026, raising new logistical alarms for the event. This marked the second consecutive day of such issues, with officials stating that their room bookings had not been confirmed for the tournament's final three days.
"Once we returned from the competition venue, we were told to vacate the rooms. They said our bookings were not done," a team official told PTI on condition of anonymity. Another official alleged that upon returning after the day's bouts, their belongings had already been packed and shifted to the reception. States affected included Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, and Tamil Nadu.
Images of boxers and coaches standing outside in sub-10-degree temperatures at night circulated widely within the boxing community. "There were no locks in the rooms provided to us; when we got back from the competition venue, the bags were already packed and kept at the reception," a coach claimed.
The tournament prospectus issued by the national federation explicitly states that “free lodging and boarding will be provided to all boxers and officials by the organisers.” Officials noted that repeated attempts to reach the organisers went unanswered.
The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) stated it intervened upon learning of the situation. "Immediate steps have been taken to ensure that the affected athletes have been accommodated at the nearest facility at GB University, where suitable sleeping arrangements have been made for the night. The Federation is closely monitoring the situation," BFI said.
This accommodation crisis is the latest in a series of controversies plaguing the National Boxing Championships over the past week, including repeated refereeing and judging disputes, disrupted bouts, and scheduling chaos.
