Indian boxing at a crossroads: Boxers caught in political crossfire

Indian boxing is regaining momentum after months of inactivity, but the ongoing deadlock in the Boxing Federation of India’s (BFI) elections threatens to derail progress. The uncertainty surrounding the formation of a new governing body could negatively impact the country’s pugilists, especially with major international events on the horizon. 

BFI president Ajay Singh, seeking a third term, has announced a series of age-group tournaments and assured that national camps will resume soon with a revamped coaching setup. However, if a new president takes over post-elections, there is no guarantee that the new executive committee will retain the existing system. 

Singh acknowledged the possibility of change, stating, “We will fulfill our responsibility, a new team is free to take their calls later.” However, potential disruptions could hurt boxers' preparation and consistency.

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Indian boxers are yet to compete in an international tournament in this Olympic cycle. With the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games approaching next year, they are still adjusting to the new world governing body’s weight categories. Any further delay could hinder their progress. 

Singh has promised to recruit new coaches and review the controversial selection policy. However, Indian boxing has been without a high-performance director since Bernard Dunne stepped down in March last year. Despite inviting applications for a foreign coach in August, no appointment has been made. 

Key coaching personnel are also missing. Foreign coach Dmitry Dmitruk and chief coach CA Kuttappa are absent from the men's team currently competing in Brazil for the first World Cup. 

A major shift has been introduced in the selection process for national camps. Previously, the top four finishers at the Nationals earned camp spots. Under the new system, a pool of eight boxers will be formed based on performances across three tournaments, from which four national campers in each weight class will be selected. However, if Singh loses the election, these reforms could be scrapped, further disrupting training and development. 

Factionalism and its fallout 

The BFI’s internal power struggle has already cost athletes valuable time. The ongoing factionalism has led to repeated postponements of the women’s Nationals. 

Earlier, when the BFI president announced the National Championship, secretary Hemanta Kalita, in his capacity, sent two emails, of which WION has access to, the boxing state federations saying that there won’t be any nationals happening. Following this, Ajay Singh sent a rebuttal refuted the claims put forward by Kalita.  

A few days before the nationals, Kalita again issued an email stating that the officials participating will not be paid for their services and it also mentioned that the players will not be getting certificates. It was after this that the BFI had to start a helpline for the players and Ajay Singh in his personal capacities helped every player in distress with travel and other facilities so that they could participate in the Nationals. 

This resulted to, Singh suspending secretary general Hemanta Kalita and Treasurer Digvijay Singh after an investigation led by former Delhi High Court Judge Sudhir Kumar Jain found them guilty of “financial irregularities.” 

This has resulted in two opposing factions—one led by Singh and the other by Kalita, Digvijay, and vice-president Rajesh Bhandari, who support former sports minister Anurag Thakur’s presidential bid. 

State units aligned with the opposition—including Assam, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha—boycotted the women’s Nationals, depriving their boxers of crucial competition. 

Like several other National Sports Federation (NSF) elections, the BFI elections have been marred by legal disputes and procedural delays. The Returning Officer has paused the electoral proceedings until further clarity emerges. 

The Delhi Amateur Boxing Association (DABA) and the Himachal Pradesh Boxing Association challenged the exclusion of their representatives, which stemmed from a March 7 order by Singh allowing only elected members in state bodies to participate in the electoral process. 

The Delhi and Himachal High Courts ruled in favor of the state units, staying their disqualifications. Additionally, the Himachal court directed the BFI to extend nomination deadlines. However, the BFI has filed appeals against both judgments. 

While Singh retains the support of some senior members, shifting loyalties and withdrawals make the outcome uncertain until polling day. As the deadlock continues, Indian boxers remain in limbo, caught in the crossfire of political infighting that threatens to undermine their preparation for global events.