New Delhi: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Thursday formed an ad-hoc committee to run the affairs of Indian boxing, replacing the de-recognised Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF), till a new body is put in place.
The decision was taken at the first executive council meeting of the IOA that was chaired by newly elected president N. Ramachandran ever since the 14-month suspension of the IOA was lifted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in February.
Ramachandran said the ad-hoc committee, which will be headed by Tarlochan Singh, an IOA vice-president, has been recognised by the International Boxing Federation (AIBA). The IABF has been derecognised by both the AIBA and the sports ministry.
“In our first executive council meeting, we have decided to form an ad-hoc committee that will run the affairs of Indian boxing till a new body is elected,” said Ramachandran.
“The six-member committee will be headed by Tarlochan Singh, who has years of experience in Olympic movement. National boxing coach, G.S. Sandhu and India’s representative at the AIBA Kishan Narsi are also in the committee,” he said.
“AIBA has approved the committee and it will be handling all issues of coaching, selection, etc. We do not want the boxers to suffer in this crucial year when we have the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games, and hence we have formed this committee,” he said.
“Whenever IABF forms a body, it will apply to the IOA for recognition and as per the Olympic Charter, we will have to give recognition. But that is some time away. AIBA’s recognition has to come first,” he explained.
The IOA president agreed the National Games have become a joke with repeated postponements, and warned that the state associations will have to face the consequences if they fail in future. (IANS)
