Former Sports Minister & Ex-BCCI Chief Anurag Thakur in Contention for BFI Presidency

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In a significant development, former Sports Minister and ex-BCCI president Anurag Thakur is poised to challenge the incumbent BFI chief Ajay Singh in a high-stakes contest for Boxing Federation Of India's (BFI) top post.

The elections are scheduled to take place on Friday, March 28.

According to a report by The Times of India (TOI), Thakur's name was officially nominated on Monday as one of the two representatives from Himachal Pradesh (HP) by the state's boxing association. As per election norms, each member state, union territory, and affiliate nominates two representatives for voting. The other representative from HP is Rajesh Bhandari, the current BFI vice-president from the North Zone.

Both Thakur, a BJP Member of Parliament from Hamirpur, and Bhandari will participate in the elections as part of the electoral college.

A source familiar with the matter told TOI, "Monday was the final day to submit names to the BFI's office. The election notification will be issued shortly. A majority of the state member associations desired Thakur to contest for the president's post. Several associations have sought leadership change and Thakur emerges as a logical choice, having served in different roles both as a seasoned politician and experienced sports administrator. With Thakur's participation, it's evident he will pursue nothing less than the presidential position. Only upon confirmation of BFI voters' support for his candidature did he proceed to submit his name within the electoral college. A formal announcement will follow in subsequent days. We are waiting for the election schedule."

Thakur has been actively associated with the Himachal Pradesh boxing association since 2008, having served as its patron and executive committee member. His credentials as a sports administrator also include his tenure as the Himachal Pradesh Olympic Association (HPOA) president and his role as the former chief of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Despite the strong challenge from Thakur, Ajay Singh, the co-founder and owner of SpiceJet, is determined to seek a third term as BFI president. A source close to the development confirmed to TOI, "The country's national sports code allows him one more term (of four years) as president, so there's no question of him not contesting. He will definitely be filing his candidature, irrespective of whoever he faces in the elections."

With two heavyweights in the fray, the upcoming BFI elections promise to be a keenly contested affair, shaping the future of boxing governance in India.