Indian boxing federation suspended by international body over election mani

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After setback by IOC, Indian boxing federation suspended by international body

Close on the heels of the suspension of the Indian Olympic Association, India’s boxing body and its former president Abhay Singh Chautala were handed a knock down when the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) provisionally suspended the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) in a major development late on Thursday.

The decision, taken by the AIBA at a meeting at Lausanne, Switzerland, comes two days after the International Olympic Committee suspended the Indian Olympic Association, of whom Chautala, former president of IABF, was elected as president on Wednesday.

AIBA’s official statement read: “Further to the International Olympic Committee’s suspension imposed on the Indian Olympic Association, the International Boxing Association (AIBA) Executive Committee Bureau has decided today, 6 December 2012, to provisionally suspend the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF). This provisional suspension is also due to the fact that AIBA had learned about possible manipulation of the recent IABF’s election. AIBA will now investigate this election and especially a potential political link between IOA President, as former Chairman of the IABF, and the IABF election.”

2013 will see the Asian Boxing Championships, the venue and dates for which are yet to be decided and the World Championships in October to be held in Kazakhstan. Under the ban, the participation of Indian boxers under the Indian flag becomes uncertain.

Earlier in September this year, the IABF had elected BJP MLA Abhishek Singh Matoria as its president in the Annual General meeting and Chautala made a re-entry as ‘chairman’ of the federation. The Indian Amatuer Boxing Federation had at that point amended its constitution to accommodate Chautala, and had created the post of the chairman at the meeting held in Patiala.

With the suspension, the world body can now hold a meeting with the Indian association and the suspension could be lifted if the elections are held again according to the rules, something they mentioned did not happen in September.

Both Chautala and Matoria could not be contacted despite repeated attempts. Former head coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu was ignorant about the recent development. “It’s really shocking to know that the AIBA has provisionally suspended the IABF. Our boxers had done well in London and this development comes as a shock to all of us. I really do not know what will happen next. Whatever has happened, we would hope that the correct decisions are taken,” said Sandhu.

Past examples

Earlier in November, AIBA had lifted its provisional exclusion of Romanian Boxing federation after recognising that the federation re-conducted elections under AIBA’s supervision and held them in accordance with RBF and AIBA statutes. The world body had also excluded the Korean Boxing Federation after the London Olympics due to the boycott of various board members of Korean Boxing Federation in its elections.

AIBA also lifted the ban on the Kuwait Boxing Federation imposed in 2010, on Thursday. The AIBA had banned Kuwait for not allowing autonomy in the federation and once they allowed autonomy and a new sports legislation, AIBA lifted the ban. Last month, AIBA had first imposed a 3-month suspension on USA Boxing and then revoked it a few days later. The suspension was over controversial statements by its former president, Hal Adonis, but revoked after it was pointed out that athletes would be adversely affected and Adonis stepped down from his post.

Indian boxing federation suspended by international body over election manipulation - Indian Express