5 coaches who have turned things around for Indian sports

#2 Bi Fernandez, Boxing

The Cuban gave India a glorious period of Boxing.

India’s boxing hit its highest point in 2012 when Vijender Singh brought home a Bronze in the middleweight category. Since then, Indian Boxing has lurched from one low to another. Nothing, however, has hurt the boxers more than the departure of Cuban Bi Fernandez, who was handed a two-year ban for his role of Sarita Devi’s protest at 2014 Asian Games.

Bi Fernandez had three spells with Indian Boxing - 1990-1994, 1997-2000 and a long one from 2004 to 2015 and he gave his all to transform it from being a neglected sport to become a sport that gave superstars . All boxers vouch for the great emotional support that the Cuban was who often fought with authorities to support the right man.

“What European coaches do is simply tell the boxer what they want and they expect the boy will do it. But what I realized over time is that Indian boxers are emotional. If I feel an attachment to them, they will do what you know they should be doing,” said Fernandez in one of his interactions with media. For his glorious contribution to Boxing, Fernandez also became the first foreign coach to be awarded the Dronacharya Award for Lifetime Contribution.