NEW DELHI: Just when one thought that Indian boxing had unentangled itself from the internal feuding that hobbled its development in the country, the prime protagonists who were earlier active participants in the national governing body's administrative logjam are attempting a comeback.
Reports have surfaced that 21 state units met in the state capital on 27 August in a bid to resurrect the derecognised Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF).
New Indian Express reports that the state units met under former IABF president Abhishek Matoria, and the members "unanimously" retained him in his erstwhile position, "rejecting Matoria’s offer of dissolving the IABF".
Some history is necessary here. On September 23, 2012 - when the Indian Boxing Federation held its polls - which world governing body AIBA later declared to have been manipulated - to vote for a new set of office-bearers, Matoria's name was presented to the house by outgoing president Abhey Singh Chautala.
The then 30-year-old Matoria, who happened to be Chautala's brother-in-law, is a BJP MLA from Rajasthan's Nohar constituency.
Subsequently, in December 2012, IABF was suspended by AIBA and the Sports Ministry for not holding elections under the Olympic Charter.
It was only in 2016 that AIBA restored full membership to India, while recognising the newly formed Boxing Federation of India.
Fast forward to the present, and we are back to the future as it were.
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