Indian boxing federation suspended

New Delhi, Dec 7 (IANS):

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) Friday provisionally suspended Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) for possible manipulation of its elections, a move that comes just two days after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) took similar action against the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

The AIBA feels that newly elected IOA president Abhay Chautala may have manipulated the elections of the IABF. Chautala has been three-time president of the IABF.

“Further to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC’s) suspension imposed on the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), the International Boxing Association (AIBA) Executive Committee Bureau has decided today 6 December 2012 to provisionally suspend the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF),” the AIBA said in a statement.

“This provisional suspension is also due to the fact that AIBA had learned about possible manipulation of the recent IABF’s election. 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,” the statement added.

Chautala, who had already completed three terms as IABF president, was elevated as the first chairman of the boxing federation so that he could fight the elections for the post of president in the IOA.

Chautala’s brother-in-law Abhishek Matoria was elected the president of the IABF.