Confusion prevails over the participation of Indian boxers in international events after the suspension of the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) by the International Boxing Association (AIBA).
It would not have been a problem for the boxers to take part in international events had the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) not been suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
At least this is the impression the AIBA had given to Indian officials recently. However, there seems to have been a review of that position. According to an IABF official, an Indian team had been given the go-ahead by the AIBA to participate in the Abbas Agalarov Cup, a youth event, to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from December 19 to 24.
The AIBA, it is learnt, has indicated that it would continue to deal with the old set-up in the IABF, of Abhay Chautala and Brig. P.K. Muralidharan Raja, who were president and secretary-general respectively of the Indian federation.
On the other hand, the AIBA has maintained an ambiguous stand as far as lifting the suspension on the Indian boxers is concerned.
AIBA Communications Director, Sebastien Gillot explained the AIBA stand in an e-mail on Tuesday following a meeting with AIBA president Dr. Ching-Kuo Wu with Indian officials in Yerevan: “The IABF agreed to amend its constitution and organize 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.”
However, Gillot was unable to clarify the position with regard to the AIBA stand that Indian boxers would not be able to compete until the IOC lifted its suspension of the IOA. He merely repeated the original AIBA statement about Indian federation’s suspension.
The latest concession by AIBA might indicate that there had been some change in the rigid stance.
Meanwhile, AIBA president Abhishek Matoria said that the federation was planning to send letters to the world body as well as the Government to resolve the issue. “The suspension should go and we are ready to do everything to achieve that,” said Matoria.
