IABF agrees to amend its constitution

The suspended Indian Amateur Boxing Federation has incorporated the government guidelines on age and tenure in its amended constitution and has requested the Sports Ministry to re-recognise the body for falling in line.

"We have incorporated the age and tenure guidelines in amended constitution that is with AIBA right now for approval," IABF Secretary General Rajesh Bhandari said.

"The Ministry should now lift the suspension because we are agreeing to the Sports Code. Boxing is suffering very badly because of this and the provisional suspension imposed by the International Boxing Association (AIBA)," said Bhandari.

The AIBA suspension came in December last year following which the Sports Ministry also suspended recognition to the IABF, citing "flawed and faulty elections".

The Ministry felt the elections were in "violation of the procedure laid down in the Sports Code".

"As far as re-elections are concerned, we are trying to reason with the government. The process was not faulty and we are confident of convincing them, otherwise we are willing to do even that," said Bhandari.

The IABF elections in September saw incumbent president Abhay Singh Chautala becoming the nominated chairman, replaced by his brother-in-law and BJP MLA from Rajasthan Abhishek Matoria, 29, as president.

The Ministry listed the flaws in the election in a detailed statement later.

"IABF has been suspended primarily on grounds that elections were flawed and faulty and the nomination time given was very less. When the nomination did not come in, people were just picked from the house. We have given them 15 days time to confirm that they would hold a re-election," Sports Minister Jitendra Singh had stated.