There hasn’t been any ‘feel good factor’ about Indian boxing for a long time now, at least administrative-wise. The prolonged absence of a national boxing federation since Boxing India was ‘provisionally suspended’ by the International Boxing Association (AIBA) last year, has hurt the sport like never before. More than the senior men and women pugilists, the non-existence of a federation has hit India’s junior boxers the most with camps and tournaments at junior and sub-junior level coming to a standstill.
The administrative logjam has failed to arouse any war-footing-like measures to get a federation in place. The AIBA-constituted ad-hoc committee has also taken its time to finding an entity to run the affairs of Indian boxing.
The biggest concern is that Indian boxers may not take part in the 2016 Rio Olympics, and if at all they participate, they will have to take the ring under the AIBA flag.
It won’t be of much solace that the world body has extending the deadline for the formation of a new national federation from March 31 to May 14. So practically, in one month or so, the world body is expecting the ad-hoc committee to facilitate installing a federation. “The deadline extension is a good thing for Indian boxing but we cannot be complacent. We hope to have a federation in place well before the stipulated May 14 deadline,” says an ad-hoc committee member.
There are chances that Indian boxers could be barred from the 2016 Rio Olympics if they fail to comply within the deadline. A great deal of uncertainty has enveloped the sport thanks to the ongoing federation impasse.
The road ahead is challenging. The AIBA-constituted ad-hoc committee will have to hold a general meeting inviting all stakeholders and conduct elections in accordance with the AIBA statutes and bylaws. It may be worth mentioning that any elected body only after securing approval from AIBA, can conduct the national championships.
For now, uncertainty persists and all we can do is to keep our fingers crossed.
