Tipped to be in the fray for Indian Olympic Association president’s post, Indian Boxing Federation chairman Abhay Singh Chautala said, on Monday, that he is ready to be at the helm of affairs of the apex body if entrusted with the high-profile job.
“The IOA officials and the NSFs will sit together, talk to each other and take a decision on who should be made the head of this association. It has been the practice of the IOA to take decisions after due consultation among its members,” Chautala said after the IOA Executive Board Meeting here.
“But I am ready to take up the responsibility if the General Assembly entrusted me with the job. I am not going to run away from taking up the responsibility,” said Chautala, who was yesterday nominated as chairman of Indian Boxing Federation after serving as its president for three successive terms.
Asked specifically whether he would be running for the presidency of the IOA in its upcoming elections scheduled for November 25, Chautala said, “I have been serving boxing for so long and I don’t want to disappoint my well wishers by saying that I don’t want to take up the job (of IOA president) if I am given a chance.
“But, there is no decision yet on who would be the next IOA president.”
Asked whether there would be a consensus on IOA presidency or a contest, he said, “I don’t know now. But consensus is better.”
He said no rules were violated when he was nominated as IBF chairman at its Annual General Meeting yesterday.
“There was no violation of any rules under IBF constitution. The IBF was within its rights to nominate me as the chairman. They felt that I should not be too far away from the boxing activities in the country, so they made me the chairman,” he said.
“The sports ministry should not be unhappy on me becoming the IBF chairman. If there is any action from the sports ministry on the issue, I can’t say now what the IBF would do. We have to see,” he added.
