Indian Boxing Federation agrees to hold elections after AIBA threatens ban

Patiala: The under-pressure Indian boxing Federation today said it will conduct a re-election and has amended its constitution as instructed by the International Boxing Association (AIBA) after the world body threatened a blanket ban on the country’s boxers and coaches following the October World Championships. “We are ready for elections. We have already incorporated whatever changes AIBA suggested in our constitution and have sent the draft to them yesterday,” IBF Secretary General Rajesh Bhandari, who is here to oversee the selection trials for the World Championships, told PTI. [caption id=“attachment_1067201” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational Image. Reuters[/caption] “They (the AIBA) are free to send an observer for the elections. As soon as we get the approved constitution draft from AIBA, we would call a meeting of our general body to fix up the date of election,” he said. AIBA had threatened to bar Indian boxers and coaches from all international events after the October World Championships if the IBF fails to hold a re-election by November 4. “We have never said that we don’t want to hold a re-election. We are ok with the idea and have conveyed the same to even our Sports Minister,” said Bhandari. “The constitutional amendments suggested by AIBA have been adopted by the IBF. We have agreed to put a cap on the age and tenure of our officials. So offce-bearers will have to retire at 70 and there would be no more then two terms for the President and Secretary General,” he added. In a significant development today, the AIBA’s Communication Director Sebastien Gillot said the world body has decided to toughen the stand against the IBF post the World Championships. “At its annual meeting held on July 16-18, 2013 in Jeju Island, Korea, the AIBA Executive Committee decided to ask the Indian Boxing Federation (IBF) to organize new elections as soon as possible (within 3 months, thus no later than November 4, 2013) according to the AIBA Statutes and Bylaws as well as to the AIBA election guidelines, and in the presence of an Electoral Returning Officer who will oversee the whole election process,” Gillot said. Gillot further added,“Until such time the above process is completed, the IBF is still provisionally suspended. All its membership rights have been suspended including the participation of Indian Boxers and Coaches in any AIBA Competition from now on, except for any competition for which an authorization to participate has already been granted, which is the case in respect of the AIBA World Boxing Championships Almaty 2013,” he added. The World Championships will take place from October 11 to 27 and trials for the event which were postponed without any clear reason are currently on here to pick the team. “By allowing the IBF time to re-organize itself, the AIBA Executive Committee is giving a chance to the IBF to resolve this matter. AIBA sincerely hopes that the IBF will co-operate with AIBA and comply with the Executive Committee decision,” Gillot said. The IBF was suspended last year with AIBA citing two reasons for the drastic step. One being India’s suspension from the IOC and the other being “possible manipulation” in the IBF elections. The Indian boxers have been allowed to compete internationally so far under the AIBA flag but officials have been completely barred from any event. PTI