CHENNAI: As the situation in the Boxing Federation of India gets more chaotic, Beijing Olympic and former world championship medallist Vijender Singh has thrown his hat in the ring to contest the election. He is convinced that right now boxing in India needs a fresh start and he would be able to give direction.
“I am ready to take any responsibility including leading the federation and giving direction to the sport,” Vijender told this daily. During the conversation with this newspaper, he had been pointing out that boxing in the country is not progressing as it should have been. He feels that with his experience as a player who has seen the growth of boxing from the grassroots very close, he would be able to help.
“I can help with my experience as a player and my managerial skills,” he said. “Elections must be held as early as possible or the players will suffer. I am sure competent authorities will take the appropriate decision.” He said that the country’s boxers should not suffer.
Vijender’s decision has come a couple of days after the Indian Olympic Association formed an ad hoc committee to run the day-to-day affairs of the federation and conduct elections that were supposed to be held on or before February 2. The ad hoc committee already had their first meeting on Tuesday and on Wednesday they had one more meeting to discuss the road map for the elections. Madhukant Pathak who heads the ad hoc panel said the elections will be held by April 20.
Rajesh Bhandari, one of the five members on the panel and a former secretary of the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF), welcomed the decision and said it is good for the sport if former athletes come forward to lend a helping hand. “Vijender is an accomplished boxer and his experience will always be good for the development of the sport,” he told this daily from Kotkhai.
Bhandari also said that the BFI should have held the elections before February 2. “We had been reminding the officials including the president but no one was listening and IOA had to step in,” said Bhandari who is part of the BFI as vice president (north zone). “We are finalizing the roadmap and will have elections within two months.” Bhandari could even be contesting for an office bearer's post.
Some of the top BFI officials also alleged that despite forming a seven-member committee to facilitate the smooth conduct of the elections, nothing moved forward. The decision was taken during an executive meeting in January. The BFI president, Ajay Singh, is set to go to court against IOA’s ad hoc committee, which he has been claiming it to be unconstitutional.
