Speaking to PTI after returning with the team from a training trip to Sheffield, Sandhu said the three Rio-bound boxers -- Shiva Thapa (56kg), Manoj Kumar (64kg) and Vikas Krishan (75kg) -- have had to contend with the kind of pressure he himself has never experienced in his more than two decades long stint.
"I have seen the worst of time and the best as well. But right now, there is no federation for such a long time. There is nobody to look after us. Pressure is just too high," Sandhu said.
Indian boxing has been struggling to get a federation in place since 2012 when the erstwhile Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) was terminated for manipulation in elections. The body that took shape later -- Boxing India -- could not run the show for even a year and had to be dissolved after a rebellion by the state units.
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Asked if India failed to capitalise on the gains made in the 2008 Beijing Olympics where Vijender Singh became the country's first boxer to win a medal, Sandhu said the stagnation began after the 2012 turmoil.
"We had cashed in on Beijing till 2012, it was on the upside. We became Asia's top team, Commonwealth's top team and the had 8 boxers qualifying for the Olympics in 2012. But when the federation was terminated in 2012, the entire process became stagnant.
"This has been a bit too long, it should have been sorted by now. We were not able to continue the work which started after 2008. This pressure has been a bit too high."
But describing himself an optimist, Sandhu also sought to count the positives, listing the boxers' resilient performances in the past four years right at the top.
Speaking of the just-concluded trip to Sheffield, Sandhu said, "We trained with UK's Olympic qualified boxers, Bulgarian boxers were also there. We had about 7-9 sparring sessions during this trip. It was a fruitful trip and I think it will help these boys in the Rio Olympics. The boys are peaking."