Confusion in IABF over who deals with AIBA after suspension

New Delhi: The re-election and constitutional amendments that would get the provisional suspension on the Indian Boxing Federation lifted have been left in a limbo as the world body is refusing to correspond with the new set of office-bearers, insisting on dealing with the old guard only.

Suspended for "possible manipulation" of the elections that were held in September, the AIBA has asked IABF to hold a re-election and amend its constitution to make it compliant with the AIBA Statute. Given that it has suspended the new IABF, which was elected in September, the AIBA has shunned the office-bearers and has not responded to their mails, seeking clarifications on the constitutional amendments and the proposed re-elections. "Following a meeting held last week between Dr Ching-Kuo Wu, AIBA President and IABF Executives at the Youth World Boxing Championships Yerevan 2012, the Indian federation agreed to amend its constitution and hold new presidential elections as soon as possible. "Until such time as this process has been completed and approved by AIBA, the suspension will remain in force and AIBA is unable to give any further comment," the AIBA said in response to a PTI questionnaire. Sources say that the AIBA has been insisting on dealing with old IABF, which had Abhay Singh Chautala as President and Brig. P K Muralidharan Raja as Secretary General as it has suspended the new federation. The AIBA is only responding to the mails sent by Brig. Raja, who is currently a senior vice-president. Chautala, on the other hand, was made nominated chairman after a constitutional amendment during the September elections. "The AIBA is just not responding to the mails sent by the new Secretary General (Rajesh Bhandari). It`s a peculiar situation because we have to seek clarifications and coordinate things with AIBA to hold the re-election and amend the constitution," an IABF official said. PTI