The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has strongly condemned the creation of an ad-hoc Committee to manage its affairs, calling it an illegal and blatant attempt to violate the autonomy of a National Sports Federation (NSF). This has also been communicated in a letter by the BFI President, to P.T. Usha, President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
“The IOA did not find it necessary to enquire about the issue with BFI office-bearers or its President before taking such a decision,” the BFI informed in a release on Monday.
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“As per Article 21.5 of the constitution of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), no decision pertaining to NSFs can be made without prior consultation with the parent International Federation, and approval of the IOA Executive Committee. Considering the NSF’s autonomous status, neither of them was done,” the BFI informed in its statement.
The IOA has no jurisdiction over the conduct of elections for NSFs, yet this order has been issued in a manner that clearly questions its intent.
It is also important to highlight that the correspondence regarding the elections of BFI has already commenced with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) on February 2. The fact that IOA has still chosen to intervene is surprising, the BFI said.
The statement claimed that BFI will also be filing a petition for quashing this illegal order before the Delhi High Court immediately.
“It’s pertinent to also mention a verdict of today, wherein the Hon’ble Delhi High Court annulled the IOA’s decision to form an ad-hoc panel for the Bihar Olympic Association,” the BFI claimed.
Earlier in the day, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) formed a five-member ad-hoc Committee including senior boxer Shiva Thapa to manage the day-to-day affairs of the organisation till all issues are resolved.
Along with Thapa, administrators Madhukant Pathak, Rajesh Bhandari, Dr. D.P Bhatt, and Virendra Singh Thakur will comprise the Adhoc Committee which will take “immediate steps to address the grievances raised by the boxing community, facilitate athlete participation in upcoming international competitions, and work towards conducting the IBF elections at the earliest”.
