New Delhi:

The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has declined the nomination of former union sports minister Anurag Thakur from the Himachal Pradesh state association for the upcoming federation elections set for March 28.

A notification from the BFI, endorsed by its president Ajay Singh, indicated that Thakur was deemed “ineligible” for the elections due to a breach of the federation's constitution and the National Sports Code.

Thakur had been anticipated to contest for the position of BFI president. Additionally, representatives from the Tripura Amateur Boxing Association and Larry Kharpran of the Meghalaya Boxing Association were also found ineligible following the review process. The eligibility of a nominee from the Delhi Amateur Boxing Association will be determined based on the directives of the returning officer, as stated in the notification.

A circular from the BFI issued on March 7 clarified that “only bona fide and duly elected members during the election AGM of the state units affiliated with the BFI (as submitted to the federation) shall be authorized to represent their respective states/union territories.”

Thirty-two BFI units have put forth the names of two representatives each for the BFI elections. A BFI official confirmed that Thakur was not a member of the executive body of the Himachal Pradesh Boxing Association.

The directive explicitly indicated that only those members elected during their Annual General Meeting (AGM) are eligible for nomination by state units. It was determined that the election records of HPBA, held by the BFI, do not list him as a member of the unit's executive body. Consequently, in accordance with BFI regulations and the sports code, he is deemed ineligible to participate in the electoral college, as stated by a BFI official.

On March 8, HPBA responded to the BFI, contesting the federation's circular on the grounds that "the provision unlawfully restricts" the autonomy of state units in selecting their representatives.

The correspondence further asserts that an arbitrary and additional requirement has been imposed, mandating that representatives must be elected at the AGM. HPBA president Rajesh Bhandari articulated in his message to Ajay Singh that under the current BFI regulations, each state unit retains the authority to nominate representatives according to its internal governance framework, and he urged the withdrawal of the notification.

The boxing federation has experienced some unrest in the lead-up to the elections. Ajay Singh's term concluded in February, prompting the Indian Olympic Association to appoint an ad hoc committee on February 24 to oversee the sport, citing that delays in conducting new elections had resulted in "administrative instability." However, the BFI filed a petition with the Delhi High Court and successfully obtained a stay on the ad hoc committee's appointment. The federation also informed the court that it was preparing to conduct the elections.

Ajay Singh, who serves as the chairman of SpiceJet, is anticipated to pursue a third term as president.

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