The International Boxing Association (AIBA) has given Indian boxing a deadline of March 31 to hold fresh elections, in order to re-establish legitimacy for the sport within the geographical boundary. Failure to do so will see Indian boxers barred from participating in the Rio Olympics, later this year.
Boxing India was suspended last year, due to the lack of transparency within the election process. This particular scenario has been a perennial issue with AIBA, which had banned the erstwhile Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) in 2012. For the past year, the country’s boxers have been competing under the AIBA flag.
A source within Boxing India said, “A coordinating committee is set to meet on March 9 to create a potential plan, so that we can fulfil all of AIBA’s requirements. However, the duration given is really less, so it might be a bit difficult. Our main goal is to see the Indian flag at the Olympics at any cost. So, all the state units are coming together to look for a feasible solution.”
The ad-hoc committee was formed during the recently concluded South Asian Games, which gave all state associations to engage in discourse. That being said, the stalemate might continue. He added, “It is very simple with boxing, whenever there is authority, there will be another authority trying to fight it. Be it in 2012 with IABF or our ‘revamped’ Boxing India.”
Both the committees will meet to decide the date and venue for the elections. That information will also be conveyed to AIBA, to help them begin their registration process. Failure to come to a decision will see India lose out on its booked Olympic slots.
