Boxing Federation of India to hold elections, end administrative logjam after Rio Olympics

New Delhi: Indian boxing’s administrative logjam is likely to end only after August’s Olympics with the stakeholders pushing back the much-awaited elections for the Boxing Federation of India to September, a move that has been cleared by the world body as well.

“It has been decided that it would be better to hold the elections after the Olympics and this has been intimated to the International Boxing Association (AIBA), which is fine with the decision,” Asit Banerjee, who will now head the proposed Boxing Federation of India’s Executive Board assigned the task of conducting the elections, said on Sunday.

Headed by Banerjee, the Board has Jay Kowli as vice-President and 23 representatives from various state units.

“We are targetting elections in the third week of September and the AIBA has said it is fine with any date after the second week of September. The venue could be any big city like Delhi, Mumbai or even Kolkata and the election would be followed by the National Youth Championships,” he added.

India have been without a national federation for more than a year now after Boxing India was terminated following a rebellion by the state units.

The crisis, however, dates back to 2012 when the erstwhile Indian Amateur Boxing Federation was dissolved owing to manipulation in elections. The biggest sufferers amid the continuing deadlock have been the boxers, who have been deprived of international exposure and technical representation in big tournaments. Banerjee said the constitution has also been sent to AIBA for approval and any amendments to it would be done only after the elections.

“We have for now decided for 8 vice-Presidents from 8 zones instead of 8 vice-Presidents from 6 zones like earlier. Any amendments to the new constitution would be taken up after the elections in a general body meeting,” he said.

“The elections in September will be conducted under the supervision of an AIBA observer and will have support of the government,” he said.

PTI