Boxing Federation of India faction meets Raksha Khadse seeking removal of Ajay Singh
A group of BFI executive committee members and 27 state units submitted a memorandum to the Sports Ministry alleging governance lapses.
A Boxing Federation of India faction, claiming support from 27 state units, met Union Minister of State for Sports Raksha Khadse in New Delhi on Wednesday to demand the removal of president Ajay Singh over alleged governance lapses.
Key takeaways
- A BFI faction met Raksha Khadse on Wednesday seeking intervention over alleged governance lapses.
- The faction claims the support of 27 state units and wants president Ajay Singh removed.
- Eight of the 13 BFI executive committee members gathered in New Delhi, Sportstar reported.
- The Punjab and Haryana High Court has kept a planned Special General Meeting in abeyance until November 13.
- The memorandum was also submitted to the Indian Olympic Association and World Boxing president Gennadiy Golovkin.
A faction of the Boxing Federation of India met Union Minister of State for Sports Raksha Khadse in New Delhi on Wednesday, seeking her intervention over alleged governance lapses in the federation and demanding the removal of president Ajay Singh. NDTV Sports reported that the faction claims the backing of 27 state units. Sportstar said eight of the 13 BFI executive committee members gathered in the national capital.
Who attended
The faction includes secretary general Pramod Kumar, senior vice-presidents Rajesh Bhandari and Leonardo D’Gama, treasurer Pon Baskaran and joint secretaries Teli Khai and Swapan Banerjee. Madhya Pradesh’s Digvijay Singh and Assam’s Hemanta Kalita, who served as treasurer and secretary during Singh’s previous term, were among the representatives present. Representatives from Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, Odisha and Jharkhand also attended.
Background
Ajay Singh was elected for a third term last year. The gathering was originally intended to be a Special General Meeting convened by Kumar to move a no-confidence motion against Singh. However, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday directed that the meeting be kept in abeyance until the next hearing on November 13.
Allegations
Bhandari said the group does not have the financial resources to keep fighting court cases and alleged that officials who questioned Singh’s authority have been suspended or served show-cause notices.
The memorandum accused Singh of concentrating powers in his hands, sidelining elected office-bearers and undermining democratic processes within the federation.
It also alleged that the BFI constitution was revised without adequate scrutiny and claimed that the state representatives were muted and denied an opportunity to speak during an online meeting on the proposed changes on August 27.
Representatives of the state units flagged concerns over the lack of grassroots development and a clear competition calendar.
What happens next
The faction submitted the memorandum to the Sports Ministry, the Indian Olympic Association and World Boxing president Gennadiy Golovkin. Bhandari said the group will go to the IOA as well to make them aware of the situation. The next court hearing is scheduled for November 13.
BFI executive committee members named in the faction
Name | Role |
|---|---|
Pramod Kumar | Secretary general |
Rajesh Bhandari | Senior vice-president |
Leonardo D’Gama | Senior vice-president |
Pon Baskaran | Treasurer |
Teli Khai | Joint secretary |
Swapan Banerjee | Joint secretary |
Related on Apex Sports News
Sources
Topics
Spotted an error? Read our corrections policy or use the flag button above. Our editorial standards explain how we report.
Related stories
Discussion
Sign in or create a free account to join the discussion. Please follow our community guidelines.