BFI feud deepens: Secretary General Pramod Kumar alleges intimidation as Rs 40 crore boxing deal takes centre stage

NEW DELHI: The battle for control of the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) intensified on Tuesday, with secretary general Pramod Kumar alleging intimidation of state associations and attempts to derail a proposed no-confidence motion against president Ajay Singh, even as the federation featured in a major Rs 40 crore partnership aimed at strengthening Indian boxing.In letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, union sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya and World Boxing (WB) president Gennadiy Golovkin, Kumar sought intervention to protect affiliated state units from alleged threats of suspension and the appointment of ad-hoc committees. Copies of the letters are with TOI.Kumar alleged a breakdown in governance and accused Singh and BFI executive director Col (retd) Arun Malik of using administrative machinery to obstruct the process for moving the no-confidence motion. He claimed that a majority of state units and executive committee members had submitted requisitions seeking a vote on Singh's leadership.The motion is scheduled to be taken up at a special general meeting on Oct 28. Kumar maintained that, as secretary general, he was duty-bound to act on the requisitions and uphold the federation's constitution. He also alleged that his official email access had been revoked without his consent, hampering his work and raising concerns about the security of federation records.Kumar further claimed that state associations backing the motion were facing pressure and threats, and expressed concerns for his personal safety. He urged the authorities to ensure that the federation's records were safeguarded and that the alleged administrative interference stopped.Malik, however, dismissed the allegations as “baseless”. “All these allegations are baseless and not true. We have done no such thing," Malik told PTI.Malik also denied that Kumar’s email access had been revoked. “Nobody has revoked his email access. He can get it checked, we have no issues," he told the newswire agency.The governance row unfolded against the backdrop of a significant push for boxing development, with the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF), Sports Authority of India (SAI) and Indian Oil Corporation signing a memorandum of understanding to support the sport.Under the agreement, Indian Oil will contribute Rs 40 crore over two years towards talent identification, athlete development, coaching, sports science, international exposure, boxing academies and capacity-building for coaches, referees and technical officials.Mandaviya said corporate social responsibility-backed partnerships would play a key role in building a national sports ecosystem, in line with the revamped Khelo India scheme. The MoU signing was attended by senior sports ministry and SAI officials, where Singh and Malik were also present. Singh later interacted with the minister as well.The partnership comes after Indian boxers won six medals, including three gold and three bronze, at the 2026 Asian Games, underlining the need to strengthen the pathway from grassroots talent identification to elite competition.With the Oct 28 vote approaching, the BFI faces a crucial test on two fronts: sustaining investment in the sport while resolving an increasingly bitter internal dispute over its leadership and governance.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.