Gimhani out, Fernando in

The prestigious Asian Under 22 and Youth Men’s and Women’s Boxing Championship, set to be hosted in Sri Lanka from May 12 to 23 at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium, has been marred by growing concerns over the transparency and fairness of the national selection process.

 

The Boxing Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) began its preparations with a selection meet held from February 18 to 21 at the Royal MAS Arena, after which a 48-member pool was named. The final team was to be chosen after four scheduled sparring sessions.

 

However, the path to final selection has raised eyebrows among boxing circles, with allegations of bias, lack of transparency, and procedural irregularities coming to the fore. The first sparring session took place on March 15 at a dilapidated Royal College boxing ring in Colombo.

 

The second, set for March 29, was cancelled without explanation. The third was conducted at Pilimathalawa Central College, coinciding with the LV Jayaweera and Donald Munasinghe boxing meet. It was the only session conducted with accredited referees and judges, where winners were officially declared.

 

The final sparring session on April 10 at a newly refurbished Royal College ring has drawn the most criticism. Not only was it conducted without accredited officials, but the Chairman of Selectors, F.H. Abdulla Ibunu, controversially took on the role of referee - a clear deviation from protocol.

 

Coaches, too, were seen stepping in as referees, undermining the impartiality of the bouts. Despite the selection committee comprising five members — F.H. Abdulla Ibunu (Chairman), Susantha Weerasena, Khan Weerasinghe, Nuwan Sumeda, and W.S.P. Fernando — only Ibunu was reportedly present during the entire selection meet and sparring sessions.

 

Many in the boxing community, including former national selectors, have questioned the rationale for holding multiple sparring sessions to prune the pool after a full selection meet had already been conducted. Criticism has also been levelled at the inconsistent format of the sparring sessions.

 

Some boxers were given only one round — far from the standard three — to showcase their talent. Others were paired against opponents in different weight categories, further complicating fair assessment. Adding to the discontent are allegations that a boxer who did not participate in the original selection meet has found a place in the final squad, raising serious questions about the integrity of the process.

 

The final team list, submitted to the Asian Boxing Confederation by the April 15 deadline, now awaits the Sports Minister’s approval. Concerns over conflict of interest have also surfaced, particularly involving Head Coach Amila Aravinda Tissera, who coaches boxers from multiple schools. As the Chairman of the BASL Coaches Commission, many allege that his influence over the final selections may have played a role in the exclusion of certain promising athletes. Coaches reportedly fear speaking out due to his powerful dual role.

 

One of the most contentious omissions is that of Sri Lanka international Nethmi Avishka Gimhani of Sri Pragnaratne Central College, Geli Oya. Gimhani, who won the 54kg youth women’s trial bout against Hashini Fernando of Vihara Maha Devi Balika, was shifted to the 57kg category and then dropped after a brief final spar.

 

This is despite her past international experience, having represented Sri Lanka at the ASBC Junior meet in the UAE, where she defeated a Bhutanese boxer before falling to a Kazakh opponent.

 

Other significant omissions include: Punsara Thithagalla of Hemamali Balika Vidyalaya, winner of the 57kg youth category. Chathuni Siriwardena, also of Hemamali, Best Boxer at the Junior Championship. Nethmi Herath, also of Hemamali, who impressed in sparring but failed to make the cut. S.G.M. Azhar of St. Sylvester’s College, winner of the 67kg Youth Men’s category. K.G.S.K. Heshan, another Sylvestrian standout, who narrowly lost to Royal’s Thenuwan Meegalla in the under-22 60kg category. Udayakumar Keerthana from Omega who won the 60kg Under-22 category trial meet. It would have been nice to see two girls from Vavuniya – L. Kagenthini and Keerthana – representing the country even as three girls from one family – twins Sachini and Yashini Fernando, and their younger sibling Hashini are poised to create history.

 

However, with growing frustration among coaches, parents, and boxing enthusiasts, many are demanding an inquiry into the selection process and stricter adherence to fair play and transparent procedures. As Sri Lanka prepares to host a prestigious international tournament, the credibility of its boxing governance is now under the microscope.

 

If these issues go unaddressed, not only could they demoralise the country’s talented young boxers, but they could also tarnish Sri Lanka’s reputation on the Asian boxing stage.