New Delhi: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) announced an ad-hoc committee on Monday to run the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) due to ongoing “administrative instability” in the federation. This comes seven months after Indian boxers returned without a medal at the Paris Olympics following a poor build-up that led to the controversial exit of foreign coach Bernard Dunne.
The tenure of the BFI office-bearers with Ajay Singh as president ended on February 2 but elections have not been held. HT had reported about the administrative logjam in BFI and the delay in holding elections.
“The IOA has been closely monitoring the administrative affairs of BFI. As per the governing norms, elections to BFI were to be conducted on or before February 2, 2025. However, despite the prescribed timeline, the elections have not been held, resulting in administrative instability within the federation,” IOA president PT Usha said in a letter on Monday, a copy of which is with HT.
Usha said she has received “numerous complaints” from stakeholders, including athletes, coaches and officials regarding “non-participation” of Indian boxers in various national and international events in recent months. The Women’s national championships has been postponed twice.
“This situation is detrimental to the growth and performance of Indian boxing on the global stage and necessitates immediate corrective measures,” Usha said.
Ajay Singh, who has spent two terms at the helm, said IOA’s decision “lacks any valid authority in law and is in clear violation of due process”. BFI later said it will petition the Delhi high court. Singh said BFI has been in correspondence with the Sports Ministry regarding the elections.
“No prior notice was issued to BFI, nor was the federation afforded any opportunity to present its position, respond to queries or address any purported concerns before such an order was passed. This fundamental lapse in procedure renders the order arbitrary and without legal basis.”
He said: “This order has been issued in a manner that clearly suggests malafide intent. Additionally, it remains unclear whether this decision was taken with the due approval of the IOA Executive Committee, further casting doubt on its legitimacy.”
The IOA ad hoc committee will be headed by the Jharkhand Olympic Association general secretary Madhukant Pathak. BFI vice-president Rajesh Bhandari, fellow boxing officials DP Bhatt and Virendra Singh Thakur and boxer Shiva Thapa are the other panel members. The ad hoc committee will oversee the affairs of BFI and ensure the “smooth functioning of its activities until the conduct of free and fair elections.”
The panel has been tasked with taking immediate steps to address the grievances raised by the boxing community, facilitate athlete participation in upcoming international competitions, and work towards conducting the elections at the earliest.
A BFI official told HT that several groups have emerged within BFI. After a meeting in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand where boxing competitions were held during the recent National Games, 24 state units had passed a proposal asking Singh to call for elections. “When elections were not called, BFI members wrote to the IOA president last week to look into the grim situation,” said an official.
Singh’s detractors have raised issues of poor performance of the Indian team at the Paris Olympics and lack of competitions at the grassroots with sub-junior and junior nationals not being held for four years.
Officials in support of Singh say that “instability” is being created by few people who want to grab power. “A top official is being probed for alleged financial irregularity in a talent hunt event. His supporters are creating issues.”
BFI also pointed to the Delhi high court’s order on Bihar Olympic Association (BOA) issued earlier in the day. The court set aside IOA’s order to appoint an ad hoc panel to run BOA, taking into consideration the state unit’s submission that elections will be held within three months.
BOA contended that the ad hoc panel appointed by IOA on grounds of its unsatisfactory functioning and election process was “unilateral and unconstitutional”. BOA stated that an elected body was replaced without any consultation with the IOA executive committee.
