CHENNAI: IN a new twist to Indian boxing saga, the Indian Olympic Association formed a three-member committee to examine the delay in the election of the Boxing Federation of India. According to a letter signed by IOA president PT Usha, the committee was formed after the sports ministry sent a letter asking them to find ways to resolve the impasse after the tenure of BFI elected body got over on February 2.
The three members committee will be headed by IOA’s treasurer Sahdev Yadav, with executive committee member Bhupinder Singh Bajwa and lawyer Payal Kakra as the other two. What seems interesting is that Yadav and Bajwa had earlier objected to IOA president Usha forming an ad hoc committee when BFI tenure was over in February.
This comes just a few days after World Boxing had sent a letter to the Interim Committee that is running the day to day affairs of the sport to hold elections by August 31. Usha in the letter said that the committee would ascertain the reasons for the delay in elections and the current legal and administrative status of the BFI. The panel also would assess the implications of the delay on the governance and functioning of boxing in India. The sports ministry in a letter dated July 5 had requested the IOA to provide a way forward in consultation with World Boxing to ensure elections are held at the earliest.
The Interim Committee was not amused. The WB had earlier formed this committee after elections were delayed and the matter landed in the court. The IC in a statement said that they would ensure the elections are held within the stipulated deadline of August 31.
The IC then said that the world body, after reviewing the roadmap and deliberations held with the IOA President during discussions in Lausanne, has recently extended its tenure. “At no point was the objective of ensuring a smooth and timely transition overlooked by the Interim Committee including the conduct of the Elections,” said the panel.
“World Boxing has clearly mandated that the BFI elections be held before August 31, and as the Interim Committee, we are fully committed to delivering free and fair polls within that timeline. At the same time, it is important to reaffirm that the autonomy of the National Federation is governed by the framework laid down by the world body. While we respect the intent behind the IOA’s formation of a three-member fact-finding committee, the process under way is already transparent, accountable, and well-documented. All key action points and developments have been formally communicated to both the IOA and the Ministry, ensuring complete institutional clarity,” said Arun Malik, the Executive Director of the BFI.
The boxing panel also said that the principle of autonomy of the national federation should remain paramount, as recognized by the global governing structure of the sport. The panel pointed out that it is worth recalling that a similar committee formed by the IOA in the past was set aside by the Delhi Court, which upheld the federation’s autonomy.