Surat boxer 'brain dead' after state meet bout

AHMEDABAD/SURAT: A 19-year-old boxer from Surat, Karan Pipaliya, was declared brain dead on Monday after a bout at the Gujarat State Boxing Championships for Senior Men and Women in Mehsana on Saturday.
Pipaliya was competing in the 63.5kg weight class against Harshvardhan Rathod from Surat. The bout was held at Sardar Patel Sports Complex in Panchot, Mehsana.
According to boxing selector Dushyant Patel, Rathod had a clear advantage over Pipaliya after two rounds.The referee stopped the bout in the third and final round as Pipaliya was unfit to continue.
"Thereafter, he collapsed and was given immediate medical assistance," Patel added.
Patel added, "If Karan felt he was not in a position to continue, he should have withdrawn from the bout."
Pipaliya is suspected to have suffered a brain haemorrhage for which he underwent surgery at a private hospital in Mehsana before being transferred to SIMS hospital in Surat on Sunday evening due to his deteriorating condition.
Boxer's father claims there weren't enough ambulances at event
The doctor treating Karan Pipaliya at SIMS Hospital stated, "When he was brought to Surat, he was brain dead. Karan is under life-support right now. Though he is in a brain-dead condition at the hospital, his family hopes to bring him back."
Karan's father, Bharat Pipaliya, lamented the lack of adequate medical facilities at the event, stating, "The event had 150-odd participants but there were not enough ambulances. I learned that my son was taken to hospital in a private car as there was only one ambulance. If there had been an ambulance available, my son could have received prompt treatment and could have been saved. I request the organizers to have adequate ambulances to ensure that such a thing doesn't happen again. Maro Chirag buji gayo, bija koi no na bujvo joie (My Chirag got extinguished, this should not happen to anyone else's son)."
Karan's mother, Rita Pipaliya, said, "I accompanied him to the selection meet in Surat with my younger son and nephew. I wanted to accompany him to Mehsana but he refused, saying all the facilities needed were there at Mehsana. So, I didn't go. He suffered the injuries at 2.30pm but was taken to hospital at 4pm. We left Surat immediately and were in constant touch with the hospital in Mehsana and officials. I also sent my relatives from Ahmedabad. The hospital took long to complete the formalities for treatment in Mehsana. If I could have taken a flight and got to Mehsana faster, my son would be talking to me now."
The medical officer at SIMS hospital said Karan is on life support and is brain dead.
Gujarat State Boxing Association working president Indravadan Nanavati shared a varied account of the incident. He told TOI, "The boxer didn't suffer injuries during the bout. He had breathing problems during the rest period between rounds for which we provided him assistance at the venue itself. Later, he collapsed. A CT scan revealed that he had suffered a blood clot in the brain, resulting in haemorrhage. At present, he is brain dead."
Laying blame on the state boxing body, a former state-level boxer said, "The boxer being declared brain dead after suffering injuries during a bout is gross negligence on the part of GSBA."