New Delhi: The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has been in turmoil since the tenure of president Ajay Singh and other office-bearers ended on February 3 with fresh elections not being called. Many factions have emerged, looking to stake claim to form the new body, said BFI members who did not want to be named.
“BFI is in turmoil. Elections must have been called before the tenure of office-bearers came to an end. Three-four groups have emerged under different office-bearers, they are pulling their weight to contest for the top posts,” a BFI member aware of the development told HT.
On Monday, some members of the BFI executive body wrote to secretary-general Hemanta Kumar Kalita, asking to issue notice for the AGM to elect office-bearers by March 15.
During the recent National Games around 21 state units adopted a resolution to hold the election on March 9, but notice was not issued. “The secretary-general was waiting for clearance from the president (to call the AGM). When his term has ended, it is the responsibility of the secretary-general to issue elections notice and hand over charge to the new body,” a BFI executive body member told HT.
Singh, who is CMD of SpiceJet, has served two terms as BFI president and will need two-thirds majority to come back to power for a third and final term, as per the National Sports Code. However, it has been learnt that several members have expressed dissatisfaction with the way the sport was run in the last few years in the wake of India not winning a medal at the Paris Olympics. They have raised the matter of Irish national boxing coach Bernard Dunne’s controversial tenure, performance of the Indian team at the Olympics and a lack of domestic competitions. Singh, however, played an important role in India’s move from International Boxing Federation to World Boxing, the global body that holds the key to keeping boxing in the Olympics.
“Members are not happy… Domestic competitions have dried up. Age-group national championships are not being held,” the member said. Asked about the chance of any consensus candidate emerging, he said: “Senior members would like to hold key posts, but we can always sit down and come to a consensus. It should be unanimous.”
It remains to be seen whether Singh contests again. BFI has 32 state units with two votes each and five institutional members, who have no voting rights. It was also learnt that a top-office bearer is under scrutiny for “misappropriation of funds” meant for BFI’s talent hunt programme. “The president has sought an enquiry into the matter and we don’t know whether elections will be called after the probe is completed,” another member said.
