Shelar had filed the nomination for the post of president and was set to take on current chief Ajay Singh on December 18 at Gurugram
Ashish Shelar
Former Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) president and BJP leader, Ashish Shelar has expressed disappointment over the delay in holding elections of the Boxing Federation of India (BFI), calling it a result of a dictatorial mindset.
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Shelar had filed the nomination for the post of president and was set to take on current chief Ajay Singh on December 18 at Gurugram. But the BFI earlier this month announced the postponement of its elections due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Holding the elections is necessary after the sports ministry had decided to grant recognition to 14 national federations subject to elections being held by December 31, 2020. The boxing federation now faces the threat of derecognition.
'Not a good sign'
Shelar said such a delay in holding elections is undemocratic. "Delaying elections in a democracy is not a good sign. It can cast a shadow on the existence of the federation and delaying elections in a democracy can only come from a person who has a dictatorial mindset," Shelar told mid-day over the phone.
He expressed confidence that the elections will be held with the issue in the Delhi High court. "The elections are scheduled so they are bound to happen. The matter is in court now. Let's wait and watch what the outcome is."
Shelar, who was also the president of the Mumbai District Football Association (MDFA), said his experience of being part of other sports associations will only help in addressing issues faced by the boxing fraternity.
"As president of the MCA, I always saw to it that the team selections and other things related to the sport were run by the players. But when it comes to the administrative part, they need help. If players get involved in running the administration, when will they focus on the sport?
Experience counts
"With my experience of heading the MCA and MDFA, I have the knowledge of dealing with clubs and state units and the help they need from the federation. Hence, I'm confident of addressing all issues as chief of BFI," Shelar concluded.
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