New Delhi: Left in a fix after Sports Ministry barred it from making constitutional changes, the Indian Boxing Federation might be left with no option but to postpone its elections till the time "deficencies" pointed out are rectified.
Sources have revealed that the IBF AGM on Sunday would deliberate on the government`s strict view on the elections and might decide to postpone the elections to work a way out of the current limbo.
The Ministry has directed the IBF that it should rectify the "deficiencies" before the elections are held, including the non-adoption of age and tenure guidelines by the federation.
The diktat came amid speculation that IBF`s constitution would be amended to create a new post of chairman for incumbent president Abhay Singh Chautala, who, under, government rules, is ineligible to contest as he has served three terms at the helm.
"The federation is advised that the deficiencies need to be cured before elections can be held. It is further advised that the election be held only after sorting out deficiencies and strictly in accordance with the Model Election Guidelines of the Government," the Sports Ministry said in a letter.
Given the situation, the IBF will either have to conduct the elections as per the guidelines or postpone the process till the time it is able to fall in line.
"The Ministry is actually targetting the wrong end of the spectrum. The change has to start with the state associations, after all the top leadership comes from there only. If you have state association in which people serve for more than 20-30 years, then what is point of making cosmetic changes at the top," an IBF official said.
"If a complete overhaul is done than what about continuity? The fact that the sport has grown so much under the current set-up counts for nothing? The Ministry should first ensure that these guidelines are followed by state association so that the entire process is streamlined at the top," he added.
With boxing`s rising profile in India following back-to-back Olympic medals -- through Vijender Singh (2008) and M C Mary Kom (2012) -- the IBF posts are much sought after.
But with the Ministry now stepping in to force adherence to government guidelines, it could be some time before the new guard takes charge.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, September 22, 2012, 15:00