Indian boxing suspended over controversial elections

Suspension due to fact that AIBA learned about possible manipulation of recent IABF’s election, says governing body.

NEW DELHI: The Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) has been suspended by the International Boxing Association (AIBA) in relation to the controversial elections that led to the country being banned by the IOC.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) suspended the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Tuesday for government interference as Abhay Singh Chautala, chairman of the boxing federation, was elected its new president.

The IABF amended its constitution in September to create the chairman’s post to accommodate Chautala at the end of his tenure as the boxing federation president.

“This provisional suspension is also due to the fact that AIBA had learned about possible manipulation of the recent IABF’s election,” the governing body of amateur boxing said in a statement on Thursday.

“AIBA will now investigate this election and especially a potential political link between IOA President, as former Chairman of the IABF, and the IABF election.”

IABF officials were not immediately available for comments.