Indian Boxing Federation barred from IOA polls

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Boxing Association (AIBA) said Friday that no member from suspended Indian boxing federation (IBF) will be allowed to vote in the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) election slated for February 9.

AIBA executive director Ho Kim told IOC in a letter that since the IBF has been slapped with a suspension since December 2012, no member of that body is eligible to take part in the election. The IBF was suspended over its controversial election process.

"We would like to inform you that the current AIBA national Member Federation of India, the Indian Boxing Federation, has been suspended by AIBA. Therefore, it is AIBA's position that no representative from IBF should participate in the IOA elections and vote on behalf of the sport of boxing in India," Kim wrote in his letter to the IOC.

IBF president Abhishek Matoria, who is also the brother-in-law of Abhay Chautala, president of the suspended IOA, senior vice-president Bhupinder Singh and Manipur Boxing Association secretary general Khoibi Salam were among the electoral college for the IOA polls.

But now the trio stand no chance of taking part in the election process.

The IOC also wrote to the IOA that AIBA's stance should be followed and if any other federation is also under suspension, its members should not be allowed to participate in the polls.

"In view of the situation, the IOC is also of the opinion that the Boxing Federation in India should not participate in the Elective General Assembly of the suspended IOA on February 9 and should not be allowed to nominate any of its representatives for the elections," IOC director NOC Relations Pere Miro said.

The principal office bearers in the IOC are most likely to get elected unanimously.

N. Ramachandran, Rajeev Mehta and Anil Khanna will be elected unopposed as president, secretary general and treasurer respectively of the IOA. The elections may finally pave the way for the IOA's return to the Olympics fold since it was suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2012 over its election process.