Delhi HC stays appointment of ad-hoc committee to run Boxing Federation’s affairs | Sport-others News

Delhi High Court has put a stay on the decision of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to constitute an ad-hoc panel to run the affairs of the Boxing Federation of India.
Justice Sachin Datta issued notice to the IOA seeking its response to a petition filed the federation challenging the decision of constituting the ad-hoc committee.
The court granted two weeks’ time to the IOA to file its reply to the petition and posted the hearing on March 27. The court also directed the petitioner to hold its elections within three months, failing which, the IOA was free to take appropriate disciplinary action.
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As per court, president of IOA did not have the power to unilaterally take over the affairs of a state association and a proposal to appoint an ad-hoc body was its general assembly’s.
On 24th February, IOA President PT Usha formed a five-member ad-hoc committee to oversee affairs, citing the federation’s failure to conduct elections on time.
“IOA has been closely monitoring the adminrative affairs of the Boxing Federation of India. As per the governing norms, elections to BFI were to be conducted on or before 02nd February 2025. Despite the prescribed timeline, the elections have not been held, resulting in adminrative instability within the federation,” IOA president PT Usha said in a letter to the federation.

However, BFI challenged the formation of the body and called it an illegal move. In a letter addressed to Usha, BFI President Ajay Singh said,”As per Article 21.5 of the IOA Constitution, no decision pertaining to NSFs can be made without prior consultation with the relevant international federation. IOA, as the apex Olympic body in India, must respect and uphold the autonomy of National Sports Federations. However, there is no indication that IOA consulted the International Federation before issuing this order, which constitutes a direct violation of established norms and protocols,” Singh wrote in his letter.