JOIN USIABF ready to make amends
The Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) was on Friday caught off guard by its suspension by the international federation as well as the Sports Ministry and said it was willing to take remedial steps to restore its status, including holding fresh elections.
The AIBA suspension has put a doubt on the participation of the Indian boxers in the international events. The boxers are currently in Armenia for the Youth World Championship.
The latest developments have further tightened the noose around Abhay Singh Chautala, already facing the heat over the suspension of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), and now alleged to have “manipulated” the boxing elections.
The AIBA (International Boxing Federation) said it would be investigating the elections especially “potential political link” between Chautala and the elections. “Further to the International Olympic Committee's (IOC's) suspension imposed on the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), the International Boxing Association (AIBA) Executive Committee Bureau has decided today 6 December 2012 to provisionally suspend the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF),” AIBA said in a statement.
“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.”
The boxing elections took place September 23, where the 29-year-old BJP MLA from Rajasthan Abhishek Matoria replaced his brother-in-law Chautala, as the new president. For Chautala, the IABF created a new post of nominated chairman in its Executive Committee and Annual General Body Meeting which was held at Patiala.
Rajesh Bhandari replaced PK Muralidharan Raja, who was also given a position in the set-up as the senior vice-President. Chautala maintained the elections were held as per the rules and that he was willing to step down from his post.
"There was nothing wrong with the election process. But if AIBA and government feel it was manipulated, we are ready for re-election. I am ready to quit the post of the chairman,” Chautala told reporters.
Matoria said they were surprised by the AIBA decision as they had replied in detail to its queries over the election process. “It is quite shocking. AIBA had got in touch with us some three weeks ago and had specific queries over the election process. We replied to them and even got the acknowledgment. We never expected this.
All our top officials are there (Armenia) and we have asked them to speak to the AIBA officials. We have no problems in having re-elections, we just want to know what AIBA wants,” Matoria told Deccan Herald.