PT Usha forms committee to ascertain delay in Boxing Federation elections

New Delhi: Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha has constituted a three-member Fact-Finding Committee to ascertain the reasons for the prolonged delay in conducting the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) elections and to recommend a roadmap to ensure fair and timely polls.

The committee, formed on Friday, is chaired by IOA Treasurer Sahdev Yadav, with IOA Executive Council member Bhupender Singh Bajwa and Advocate Payal Kakra as members.

"The term of the current Executive Committee of the BFI ended on Feb 2 and fresh elections have not been conducted since," Usha said in an IOA office order dated July 11.

According to the order, the panel will examine the "current legal and administrative status of the BFI and assess the implications of the delay on the governance and functioning of boxing in India."

It will also "recommend necessary actions, including engagement with World Boxing, and suggest a clear roadmap for holding elections in a fair and timely elections." The committee has been asked to submit its report within a week "so that the factual position can be presented to World Boxing."

The formation of the panel comes after the Sports Ministry, in a letter dated July 5, requested Usha to "device a mechanism providing a suitable way forward in consultation with World Boxing to ensure elections are held at the earliest in accordance with the National Sports Code, 2011 and bye laws of BFI."

Usha had also met World Boxing President Boris van der Vorst in Lausanne last month.

The tenure of the previous BFI office-bearers ended on February 2. Elections were initially scheduled for March 28, but the process has since been stalled due to legal wrangling, including multiple appeals and counter-appeals.

To ensure administrative continuity and oversight of domestic and international competitions, World Boxing set up a six-member Interim Committee, headed by Ajay Singh on April 7, with a 90-day mandate.

Last week, it extended the committee's tenure and urged the panel to complete the election process by August 31.

Interestingly, while Usha has announced the fact-finding panel, she has yet to nominate the final member of the BFI Interim Committee.

"Everything is out in the open, the delay is due to legal complications. We have kept the Sports Ministry, World Boxing as well as the IOA abreast with all the developments. We intend on holding the elections before August 31 deadline set by the world body," a BFI official told PTI.

The BFI has been plagued by internal strife and factionalism in the run-up to the elections. The Returning Officer, former Delhi High Court judge RK Gauba, had also resigned from his post, alleging a smear campaign against him.

Former Sports Minister Anurag Thakur is set to contest the elections against the incumbent BFI President Ajay Singh.