‘Ministry’s show-cause lacks merit’: BFI denies any wrongdoing

‘Ministry’s show-cause lacks merit’NEW DELHI: The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has braced for a showdown bout with the sports ministry, mounting a strong defence against the latter’s show cause notice over alleged irregularities in governance and athlete selection, terming the accusations “vague, non-specific and bereft of any merit.”In a response to the ministry’s notice, the federation denied any wrongdoing.On the issue of ongoing Delhi HC proceedingsResponding to references made in the notice regarding ongoing litigation, the BFI clarified that the Delhi high court’s Aug 18, 2025 order related only to the federation’s electoral dispute and didn’t interfere with its day-to-day functioning.The court had allowed the BFI elections held on Aug 21 to proceed, while making the outcome subject to the final verdict in pending petitions. The federation stated that the court never restrained it from conducting tournaments, framing selection policies, or selecting athletes. “The interim order pertains only to the electoral dispute and does not interdict the functioning of the BFI,” the reply stated.The BFI also objected to what it called broad and undefined allegations regarding its “overall functioning.” It claimed the ministry failed to identify the source, scope or nature of the grievances, making it impossible to respond meaningfully to accusations.Selection through 2nd COAS Cup defendedOne of the ministry’s key objections related to athlete selection through the 2nd COAS Cup. The BFI defended the move, saying the tournament was introduced as an additional pathway to identify boxers ahead of events like the 2026 CWG and Asian Games.The federation argued that the national championships “rigid format” allows only one boxer per state or institutional unit in each category. The COAS Cup, it said, was designed to provide another opportunity for boxers who either missed the Nationals or could not participate for valid reasons.No need for selection committee minutesThe BFI said the COAS Cup selections were entirely performance-based, with gold and silver medallists automatically qualifying for the national camp. Since there was no discretionary process involved, it argued that no separate selection committee meeting or signed minutes were required.SAI delays behind coaching issuesThe federation also rejected allegations regarding the absence of a Director General (DG) SAI nominee in appointments of coaches and support staff. BFI claimed it had repeatedly approached SAI TOPS for meetings and approvals since April 22, 2026, but was still awaiting confirmation. As a result, the federation revealed that coaches and support staff have not received salaries for nearly two months. “It is the BFI which has suffered due to delays in participation by SAI TOPS,” the federation stated.Performance standards maintainedThe BFI also rejected claims that transparency or athlete welfare had been compromised.