BFI braces for polls after turmoil

new delhi: Months of uncertainty due to governance issues, turf wars and internal power struggles are set to end when the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) holds its much-delayed elections on Thursday.

The hope, finally, is that action inside the ring will reclaim the spotlight.

Two-time president Ajay Singh is seeking a third consecutive term. The SpiceJet MD has remained the central figure in Indian boxing even after the tenure of the previous office-bearers expired on February 2.

Until early this month, he also headed the World Boxing-appointed interim committee that was running BFI’s daily affairs, an arrangement seen as a sign of his influence with the newly-formed world body.

During this period, new coaches were appointed for the men’s and women’s teams, the constitution was amended, and the controversial selection assessment process was also tweaked.

Interestingly, the interim committee under Singh named Kerala state unit chief D. Chandralal, who was one of the candidates for the president’s post during the March elections, as head coach of the women’s team. Earlier this month, it also lifted the suspension of former secretary general

Hemanta Kalita. Agencies