‘I am with every faction. I am supporting Raja, Abhay Singh Chautala (former IABF president) or for that matter Ashok Matoria (present IABF president). I am supporting every group. I am a boxer and my job is boxing. I am not a politician that I would be supporting this group or that group. Whichever faction will help in taking the Indian boxing forward, I am with that group,’ Vijender told reporters here.
Indian Amateur Boxing Federation’s (IABF) suspension has rendered the country’s boxers ineligible to compete in any international event. Furious with the current logjam in IABF, the International Boxing Association (IBA) had terminated the body from its fold stating that the current set of office-bearers are ‘damaging the image, reputation and interest’ of the sport.
The rebel faction, led by Raja and West Bengal boxing association chief Asit Banerjee, had claimed that Olympic and World Championship bronze-medallist Vijender had agreed to be on their side. The group, which claims to have the backing of 23 of the 35 state units on board, has already approached AIBA with a vision document to take Indian boxing forward in a transparent way after the world body sought applications from ‘any group of people with passion and love for our sport to submit applications for the establishment of a new national federation’.
The boxer said he wants an early resolution to the impasse so that Indian boxers can compete under the national flag at the international events. ‘I want something good to happen to Indian boxing soon. I want an early resolution of this issue. Efforts should be made to conduct the nationals....there has been no nationals for the last two years,’ he said.
Vijender even went on to say the last group, led by Chautala, did a good job in taking the boxing forward. ‘Last group led by Abhay Singh Chautala did a good job, Abhishek Matoria also did a good job. I am hoping that whoever comes into power must work for the benefit of boxing. I hope that everything will be sorted out soon. I am with everyone,’ he said.
Indian Amateur Boxing Federation’s (IABF) suspension has rendered the country’s boxers ineligible to compete in any international event. Furious with the current logjam in IABF, the International Boxing Association (IBA) had terminated the body from its fold stating that the current set of office-bearers are ‘damaging the image, reputation and interest’ of the sport.
The rebel faction, led by Raja and West Bengal boxing association chief Asit Banerjee, had claimed that Olympic and World Championship bronze-medallist Vijender had agreed to be on their side. The group, which claims to have the backing of 23 of the 35 state units on board, has already approached AIBA with a vision document to take Indian boxing forward in a transparent way after the world body sought applications from ‘any group of people with passion and love for our sport to submit applications for the establishment of a new national federation’.
The boxer said he wants an early resolution to the impasse so that Indian boxers can compete under the national flag at the international events. ‘I want something good to happen to Indian boxing soon. I want an early resolution of this issue. Efforts should be made to conduct the nationals....there has been no nationals for the last two years,’ he said.
Vijender even went on to say the last group, led by Chautala, did a good job in taking the boxing forward. ‘Last group led by Abhay Singh Chautala did a good job, Abhishek Matoria also did a good job. I am hoping that whoever comes into power must work for the benefit of boxing. I hope that everything will be sorted out soon. I am with everyone,’ he said.