Anurag Thakur enters fray for BFI president, faces opposition from Vijender Singh-OxBig News Network

Former Union Minister Anurag Thakur has formally entered the fray to become the next president of the Boxing Federation of India.

Thakur, who was Minister of Sports, Youth Affairs and Minister of Information and Broadcasting, in the last NDA government, filed his nomination papers on Monday.

He will be fighting against the current BFI president and SpiceJet owner, Ajay Singh, in the election that is scheduled to be held in Delhi.

Thakur has filed his nomination as representative of Himachal Pradesh Boxing Association despite the fact that he is not an elected executive committee member in the state body.

Beijing Olympics bronze medallist Vijender Singh, who was also hopeful of contesting the election, said as an athlete he is opposed to the idea of politicians not connected to the sport throwing their hat in sports federation elections.

“I am not targeting anyone and he is a personal friend but I do not like the idea of politicians running federations. It is my personal opinion that athletes should run the sports bodies as they are the only ones who can do justice to fellow athletes,” said Vijender.

“Also, I do not think it is allowed in the sports code. Even I tried to fight the election but was told that I would need to be part of the state executive to be able to fight the election, and that is why I could not file my nomination. And then suddenly, someone comes out of the blue, which is not right. I do not think he knows the sport well, he may know a few sports but not our sports,” Singh added.

Interestingly, Vijender’s words may sting Thakur, who is the sitting MP from Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, as the former boxer is also a party member of the ruling BJP.

The BFI election turned into a messy affair after the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) appointed an ad hoc committee. This decision came when the sports federation failed to hold elections following the end of the last elected body’s tenure in February. The agenda for Annual General Meeting (AGM) includes confirming the minutes of the previous meeting, electing office bearers and other members of Executive Council of BFI for the 2025-2029 term, and addressing any other matters with the chair’s permission.