BFI set to involve boxers in decision-making

The new Boxing Federation of India decided in an executive committee meeting on Thursday to include boxers in its decision-making process and made it mandatory for them to participate in the national championships.

Ajay Singh (left), the president of the Boxing Federation of India and Jay Kowli, the secretary general.

The newly formed Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has decided to include boxers in the decision-making process and made it mandatory for them to participate in the national championships, at an executive committee meeting on Tuesday.

Chaired by BFI president Ajay Singh and attended by secretary general Jay Kowli, among others, the committee finalised the dates for the women’s (November 19 to 25) and men's (first half of December) national championships.

Besides, Kowli proposed the induction of two boxers in the committee and for that the elections will take place during the national championships. "The idea is to give boxers voice and to have them involved in the process of taking boxing forward," BFI President Ajay Singh told

PTI . “Every state can nominate one boxer and boxers will vote for who they want during the national championships,” added Kowli.

Boxers failing to compete in the national championships may result in rejection from the national camp. “All boxers will have to compete in the nationals to be eligible for the national camp. Unless there is some major exigency, the boxers will have to compete in the nationals. This is to ensure there is good competition. The nationals will double up as trials for the national camp,” he said.

The national championships have not been held for a long time owing to the administrative mess which ended last month with the formation of BFI. The tournament has been consistently losing sheen even in the past owing to top boxers backing out. Among other issues, the BFI claimed that the standoff with Railways Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) and Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) is now over. The two boards had been fuming at 'being left out' of the election process that put together the BFI.

“They will be given affiliation. We have already received communication that they will take affiliation and be a part of BFI. We want as many stakeholders as possible because we are looking to strengthen boxing and they are among the biggest stakeholders,” Singh said.