N. Ramachandran, President of the Indian Olympic Association, has categorically stated that the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) will be the official body and not Boxing India (BI). He added that boxing affairs will now be handled by IOA’s ad-hoc committee.
“This matter was discussed at length at the Executive Committee. The EC unanimously agreed that the body that will be recognised by the IOA will be IABF,” said Mr. Ramachandran at a press conference, after attending the IOA’s executive committee and the annual general body meeting, here on Friday.
Explaining the rationale behind the decision, Mr. Ramachandran said IOA refused to give official sanction to BI because BI elections were held without consulting IOA.
“When the dispute first arose between IABF and Boxing India, the IOA constituted an ad-hoc committee. It is AIBA which recognised Boxing India and the latter’s elections. Neither the Government of India nor the IOA sent an observer for the elections.
“In fact, when the IOA took up the matter with the President of the International boxing body (AIBA) and said that, in the interest of the athletes, the elections should be held under the aegis of IOA and with AIBA’s observer present, the latter did not accept these suggestions and BI held its elections under the supervision of AIBA,” he said, adding that the IOA had received “many” complaints of irregularities during the elections.
Cash awardsHe said the top three athletes at the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and Beach Asian Games, will receive a cash award of Rs. 3 lakh, Rs. 2 lakh and Rs. one lakh respectively. He regretted that the government funding for National Sports Federations has been reduced to a larger extent.
“Government grants for NSFs have come down considerably. There are hardly any funds given to the State Association. So, the IOA has taken a decision which will enable each NSF to get Rs. 3 lakh per year and State association will also receive Rs. 3 lakh,” said Mr. Ramachandran.
He said a presentation was made by the JSW Group, which has offered to help the National Sports Federations. SportsMechanics too has offered to “video analyse the top four athletes” of India in different sports. He said that his goal by the end of his tenure was to make IOA financially viable and independent.
National Games as scheduledThe National Games in Kerala to be held from January 31 to February 14, 2015, which the Prime Minister will inaugurate, will go on as per schedule. The following editions would be held in Goa, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand. The South Asian Games will be held in Northeast by the end of next year, he added.