Kh.Enkhdelger
By M.ZOLJARGAL
The professional board of the Mongolian Olympic Boxing Federation’s (MOBF) meeting ended with several striking decisions last week.
Three members of the Women’s National Boxing Team, M.Nandin-Erdene, E.Uyanga and O.Suvd-Erdene, were temporarily dismissed from the team, following their disrespect and mistreatment of their coach B.Enkhtaivan. The National Women’s Team is now dismantled as the team was comprised of the three. They will not be able to compete in local and international tournaments through the state budget until they recover their membership.
The MOBF officials emphasized that the athletes should show more respect and follow the lead of their coach under any circumstances. Sources reported to News.mn that coach B.Enkhtaivan might have been mistreating the boxers.
The boxers expressed their will to work with their previous coach L.Enkhbaatar who is currently working at Shiren Beelii Boxing Club.
E.Uyanga won a gold medal in the 64 kg division at the 2012 Asian Women’s Boxing Championship, hosted in Ulaanbaatar. M.Nandintsetseg won a silver in the women’s 51 kg at the Incheon Asian Games 2014.
O.Suvd-Erdene and M.Nandintsetseg headed to Orkhon Province on Wednesday to meet Khangarid Club’s administrators, seeking to fight for the club according to sources close to the issue.
The two boxers used to fight in the club under their first coach S.Battulga.
News that left many speculations was about amateur boxer Kh.Enkh-Amar. The board gave the boxer a lifetime ban from fighting in amateur boxing after discovering that he was fighting in lower age categories at competitions.
It was found that his real name is Kh.Enkhdelger and he had been using the name of his younger brother, Kh.Enkh-Amar, who is three years younger than him, for “religious purpose” according to the boxer.
Kh.Enkhdelger is an International Master of Sport and a member of the Mongolian National Amateur Boxing Team.
The board also imposed a two-year ban from attending tournaments organized by the MOBF to Kh.Enkhdelger’s coach A.Gantulga of Aldar Sports Committee.
Kh.Enkhdelger is 22-years-old and brought much joy to Mongolian fans last year by winning a gold medal at the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia. But his identity has left him without a chance to compete in amateur boxing again.
The MOBF reported that Kh.Enkhdelger was proposed to fight as a professional boxer. If Kh.Enkhdelger agrees, the MOBF said it will assist him in entering the professional boxing arena.
The following are brief interviews about the ban and dismissals with related officials.
Secretary General of the MOBF P.Serdamba: A.Gantulga coach didn’t know about Kh.Enkhdelger’s identity
Can you give more details about the decisions of the MOBF?
Coach B.Enkhtaivan reported about how inappropriate the attitude of the female boxers at the last amateur championship was. They didn’t listen to the coach’s advices and had a poor training despite the coach’s guidance. Athletes must have very strict personal disciplines and be under tight training. Every generation of Mongolian athletes followed this path and succeeded in sports thanks to their coaches. The dismissed female boxers showed this inappropriate behaviour several times and that is why we temporarily halted their membership.
What do you mean temporarily?
If they diligently train and show appropriate attitude, the MOBF’s professional board has no objection to reconsidering their membership. For now, they are able to attend local and international competitions through their own means.
What about Kh.Enkhdelger and his coach A.Gantulga? When did the MOBF find out about the boxer’s age?
Kh.Enkhdelger came to me last August and said, “I suffered from epilepsy as a kid. My parents visited a monk who said they should change my name and switch our residing place. We moved to Ulaanbaatar and I lived with the name of my younger brother ever since.” However, the MOBF see it as intentional fraud. But he can continue his career in professional boxing.
How unfair it is for children to compete against another one who is three years older than they are in sports? Does the age difference influence results?
The results will be very unfair of course. A 15-year-old can beat a 12-year-old opponent easily in any case. Kh.Enkhdelger hid his age and competed in tournaments where he fought against boxers three years younger than him. This is unforgivable in the sports world.
People see coach A.Gantulga as the next and rightful laureate of the State Honor. Will this case affect his reputation or State Honor nomination?
He fully deserves the State Honor as his contributions to Mongolian sports is impeccable. He coached World Champion N.Tugstsogt and many other renowned boxers. Kh.Enkhdelger’s case should not affect any awards planned for him.
Coach A.Gantulga: We pleaded our guilt
Did you find out why Kh.Enkhdelger changed his name?
His father recently told me that Kh.Enkhdelger immediately recovered [from illness] after changing his name with his brother. I accepted him under my training and he showed success. But I am still wondering why he hasn’t told me anything about it before.
Does he suffer from epilepsy now?
He has fully recovered. Our boxers recently had medical examinations at the State Clinical Hospital No.2 and his results showed no illnesses. I believe it is thanks to sports.
Things would have been much less complicated if he told you about his name when he first started boxing. What do you think?
If he just said so we wouldn’t have faced these penalties today. I would’ve helped him regain his original name and documents but I had no idea.
When did you find out about his name?
I first found out about his identity in August this year when he told the story to Secretary General P.Serdamba. I was shocked to hear it. People might be thinking that I’m lying but it makes no difference now as it’s all done. I don’t want to blame anyone as I can’t help my trainee get back on the boxing ring.