AIBA Terminates Indian Amateur Boxing Federation’s Membership

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) have confirmed today they have officially terminated the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation’s (IABF) membership after they couldn’t find a resolution surrounding the state of the sport in the country.

In a statement AIBA said: “It is with much regret that the International Boxing Association (AIBA) Executive Committee (EC) has decided to end any official relationship with its current suspended member, the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) after an extensive evaluation and assessment of all issues surrounding the sport of boxing in India.”

Dr Ching-Kuo Wu, AIBA President said: “As AIBA President and on behalf of the entire boxing family, I am expressing my deepest regret and sadness that we had to make this decision. AIBA has always regarded India as one of the most important members of its family, but it has become impossible for us to bear the hard feelings, the pain and suffering the boxers as well as the boxing family in India had to go through under the past and recent leadership which has also been damaging the image, reputation and interest of our sport in the country.

The body has been suspended since December 6, 2012 and AIBA has not recognized any official activities in that time. However, AIBA promised itself to review the situation in IABF when the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) got its suspension lifted by IOC.

But despite this AIBA added: “Nevertheless, before and after the IOA election and lifting of suspension, AIBA received different claims from various groups of people on the way the sport of boxing was managed in India and it has therefore now become totally impossible for AIBA to make proper judgments in terms of handling the National Federation’s affairs in India.”

“It is believed that the only way to get the sport of boxing back on track in India would be for it to be left in the hands of trustful, clean and honest people who love boxing and to give the opportunity to any group of people with passion and love for our sport to submit applications for the establishment of a new National Federation. AIBA will however not tolerate any governmental or sports authority interference in this process.”