IBA clears Nepali boxer but BFI wants her excluded from Worlds

NEW DELHI: New Delhi-born boxer, Hemlata alias Anjani Teli, was on Sunday cleared by the International Boxing Association (IBA) to compete in the women’s 52kg category at the World Championships here, representing her adopted country Nepal.
However, the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) is still insisting on her exclusion from the Worlds on the grounds that her dual identity as an Indian and a Nepali.
According to a top-ranking official in BFI, Hemlata won’t be ever allowed to compete in India colours at the boxing Nationals and other state meets representing Delhi. This after it was disclosed that she had participated at the Delhi state championships in 2021, where she had won gold, and the Hisar Nationals the same year using her Aadhar card, though she had acquired the Nepali citizenship and passport by then.
“Hemlata/Anjani Teli has been banned from representing her state Delhi at the Nationals or any other domestic meet since she is no longer an Indian citizen after becoming a Nepali national,” the official told TOI.
IBA, on its part, issued a press statement informing about Anjani acquiring the Nepali citizenship eight years ago, much to the amusement of the BFI. To establish her domicile, Anjani has submitted her passport with the organisers to compete at the Worlds.
“New Delhi-born boxer Anjani Teli has never acquired an Indian passport, nor competed internationally representing India. Hence, it doesn’t violate any articles of the IBA Technical and Competition Rules in this particular case. Eight years ago she received Nepali citizenship, as her parents are originally from the country. Therefore, she is fully eligible to represent Nepal at the Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi,” read the IBA statement.
Hemlata was born in Delhi’s Sadar Bazar to Nepali parents Gajendra and Indravati, who migrated to India in 1990. Since her grandfather owned an ancestral property in Nepal, she became eligible for selection in the Nepalese team. However, she did her school (Nagarpalika Sadar Bazar) and graduation (Jesus and Mary College) from Delhi and holds an Aadhar card.
According to sources, after being crowned champion at the Delhi state meet, she had applied for an Indian passport prior to appearing for the Nationals. She even had her application number generated, but her passport request was rejected.
Going by the IBA’s statement that she had acquired the neighbouring country’s citizenship eight years ago, it’s clear that Anjani participated at the Delhi state meet and Nationals as Hemlata even though she was a Nepali citizen, providing her Aadhar card as a proof of identity.
Hemlata, on her part, told TOI that she’s the same person with the name Anjani Teli and resides in Delhi with her parents. “I have been cleared by the IBA to compete at the Worlds as a Nepali citizen. I am a Delhi girl and stay with my parents here,” she said. When asked why she acquired a different name Anjani, she requested for a call back but never picked up her phone.