New Delhi: Former World Boxing president Boris van der Vorst has called on India's boxing administrators to put aside their differences and ensure stability within the Boxing Federation of India (BFI), warning that the sport cannot afford organisational uncertainty with larger focus on Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
With Indian boxing enjoying a successful run on the international stage -- winning 7 medals at the Commonwealth Games and 6 at the Asian Games -- van der Vorst believes the priority should be to protect the progress made rather than allow administrative disagreements to affect the sport's preparations for the next Olympic cycle.
In an exclusive interaction with TimesofIndia.com, the former World Boxing chief said India's boxing leadership needed to come together behind the current administration of president Ajay Singh, with the interests of athletes taking precedence over everything else.
"Everyone needs now to be focused on this Olympic podium mission. That's what everyone needs to come together for, work together and take care that there will be stability and continuity for Indian boxing," van der Vorst told TimesofIndia.com.
The crisis has been brewing since October 8, when BFI secretary general Pramod Kumar issued a notice seeking a no-confidence motion against Singh. The motion cited alleged unilateral decision-making, unauthorised constitutional amendments, intimidation of state associations, financial irregularities and administrative overreach.
Kumar's faction further claimed that 28 of the federation's 35 affiliated units had backed the move. Singh's camp, however, questioned the legality of the proposed meeting and maintained that the process did not follow the federation's constitution. The dispute escalated, when Singh and Kumar suspended each other.
Singh cited alleged financial irregularities, non-cooperation with investigations and misuse of authority in his action against Pramod Kumar. The secretary general subsequently issued a suspension order against the president, pending the outcome of the no-confidence motion. Both sides accused each other of violating the BFI constitution.
The proposed October 28 Special General Meeting (SGM) was subsequently put on hold by the Punjab and Haryana High Court until November 13, following a petition filed by Singh. That did not stop the opposition from making its presence felt.
On October 28, representatives claiming the support of 28 of BFI's 35 affiliated units and eight of its 13 executive committee members met Union Minister of State for Sports Raksha Khadse and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) CEO Raghuram Iyer. The faction submitted a memorandum alleging governance lapses and seeking intervention, including the formation of an independent ad-hoc committee and fresh elections.
Against this backdrop, van der Vorst believes the focus must shift back to the athletes and the opportunities ahead. He credited Ajay Singh and BFI's Executive Director Col. Arun Malik for the progress made by Indian boxing, pointing to the investment in the high-performance programme and the exposure provided to boxers through international competitions.
"I think the most important thing is taking good care under the current leadership for the rough talents and diamonds that are already available for many years," he said.
Recalling his early visits to India, van der Vorst said he had recognised the potential at grassroots gyms and believed the country could become a boxing powerhouse if the talent was nurtured correctly. He pointed to the depth India now possesses across weight categories, with three or four boxers capable of competing at the highest level in several divisions.
"You have to thank, of course, the current president Ajay Singh for doing this and also the great team of Col. Arun Malik, who took care of the talents in the high-performance squad," he said.
With the Los Angeles Olympics less than two years away and the qualification pathway approaching, van der Vorst said Indian boxing needed continuity in its preparations.
"It is the responsibility now of all the boxing leaders here in India to look into the mirror and say to yourself, how can we contribute to this important mission and support the leadership of Ajay Singh and Col. Arun Malik," he said.
"By putting the interest of the boxers first, you take care that the current leadership can do their work," he stated.
