Ajay Singh Re-elected as Boxing Federation of India President for Third Term

Ajay Singh has been re-elected as the President of the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) for a third term. He defeated Olympian Jaslal Pradhan with a 40-26 vote margin.

The elections, delayed by over six months due to legal issues, took place without observers from the Sports Ministry or the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

Ajay Singh Re-elected as Boxing Federation of India President for Third Term

The absence of observers from the Sports Ministry and IOA was noted during the elections. This decision was criticised by Rajesh Bhandari, head of the Himachal Pradesh unit. Singh mentioned that they had reached out to these bodies, but they declined without explanation. A ministry source indicated they are waiting for a court decision.

World Boxing Observers Absent

World Boxing President Boris van der Vorst and Secretary General Mike McAtee were expected to attend but were absent. Singh explained that Boris would visit India soon to finalise the World Boxing Cup venue in November. The elections were overseen by Returning Officer Justice (retd) Rajesh Tandon and BFI interim committee head Fairuz Mohammed from Singapore.

Singh expressed satisfaction with India's progress in boxing over the past eight years. "I'm just happy that we get to continue the good work that the BFI has been doing for the past eight years," he stated. India's global ranking improved from 44th to fourth, showcasing Indian boxers' success on international platforms.

Legal Challenges and Court Proceedings

The election results are pending a Delhi High Court verdict due on September 23. Several state units have challenged constitutional amendments made by the interim committee managing BFI's daily operations. Singh acknowledged that the court had allowed elections to proceed but made results subject to legal outcomes.

Pramod Kumar from Uttar Pradesh is now the BFI's new secretary general, succeeding Hemanta Kalita from Assam. Kumar won against Digvijay Singh of Madhya Pradesh with a 36-30 vote margin. Kalita was ineligible due to completing two consecutive four-year terms and is currently in a cooling-off period.

Focus on Grassroots Development

Singh, who first took office in 2016, aims to focus on grassroots development. "My foremost commitment is to ensure that every ounce of energy now goes into strengthening grassroots programs," he said, emphasising support for junior and youth athletes.

The treasurer's position saw a three-way contest, with Tamil Nadu's Pon Baskaran winning with 28 votes against Anil Kumar Bohidar and R. Gopu. The elections were initially set for March 28 but faced multiple delays due to legal petitions and appeals.

Singh highlighted his goal of securing more opportunities for Indian boxers to win Olympic medals. He aims to continue enhancing India's presence on the world stage through international championships and medal wins.

With inputs from PTI