Boxing: Delhi High Court stays BFI ad-hoc committee

The Delhi High Court, on Monday, quashed the Indian Olympic Association's directive to put the Boxing Federation of India under the purview of an ad-hoc committee.

The IOA had constituted a five-member ad-hoc panel led by Madhukant Phatak to oversee daily affairs of the BFI last month.

The panel also included Rajesh Bhandari, DP Bhatt, Shiva Thapa, and Virendra Singh as members.

A bench of justice Sachin Datta drew inspiration from its February 24 ruling where it set aside the ad-hoc committee set up by the IOA to oversee daily functioning of Bihar Olympic Association.

It was on the same day that the PT Usha led IOA formed an ad-hoc committee for the Boxing Federation of India.

The erstwhile BFI President Ajay Singh had then shot a letter to the IOA, terming the decision 'misconceived and arbitrary' before approaching the Delhi High Court.

The BFI argued that the decision of form an ad-hoc panel was taken without any consultation, violating Article 21.5 of the Indian Olympic Association's constitution.

The drastic measure of forming an ad-hoc committee to run BFI came after a delay in conducting elections to elect a fresh executive committee for the national sports federation.

The tenure of Ajay Singh-led BFI ended on 2 February, 2025.