NEW DELHI: Indian boxing’s post-Commonwealth Games and Asian Games momentum has run into an internal political storm, with the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) descending into an unprecedented leadership crisis after president Ajay Singh and secretary general Pramod Kumar suspended each other on Wednesday, leaving the federation staring at administrative paralysis.The dramatic escalation comes ahead of the Oct 28 no-confidence motion against Singh, backed by a majority of affiliated state units, according to Kumar’s faction. With the country’s boxers eyeing the World Boxing U19 Championships and Youth Olympic Games, the power struggle threatens to derail the sport’s progress towards the Los Angeles Olympics.Singh fired the first salvo by placing Kumar under interim suspension, citing alleged financial irregularities, abuse of authority and non-cooperation with internal inquiries. His order flagged a claim of around Rs 1.5 crore by Pinnacle Broadcast Productions for broadcasting the World Boxing Finals Cup in Greater Noida in Nov 2025.According to Singh’s order, Pinnacle relied on a work order dated November 11, 2025, issued under Kumar’s signature, while the federation had allegedly been led to believe the broadcaster had committed Rs 2 crore towards sponsorship and broadcasting. Singh alleged the work order was neither approved by the BFI Finance Committee nor disclosed to the competent authorities. He also pointed out that Kumar’s financial powers were limited to Rs 1 lakh.The president further accused Kumar of repeatedly failing to cooperate with an inquiry into the last-minute cancellation of the BFI Elite Men and Women Open Boxing Championships, scheduled in Nahan, Himachal Pradesh, in Aug. The order also cited alleged unauthorised notices against senior officials and attempts to convene a meeting to move a no-confidence motion.Kumar hit back hours later, issuing a suspension order against Singh and directing him to cease exercising presidential powers pending the Oct 28 vote. The secretary general’s faction accused Singh of arbitrary governance, financial opacity, intimidation of state units and constitutional violations, while questioning the legitimacy of his actions amid the pending no-confidence motion.The BFI rejected Kumar’s counter-order, arguing that the federation’s constitution does not empower the secretary general to suspend the president independently. It also maintained that Kumar had already been suspended when he issued his order.With both camps asserting authority, the central question is who is running Indian boxing. The allegations on both sides remain contested, and the suspension orders have not resolved the underlying disputes.The immediate losers are the boxers and coaches, caught in a bitter power struggle at a crucial juncture. The sports ministry and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) can no longer afford to remain spectators. An urgent, transparent resolution is needed to restore administrative clarity, protect athletes’ interests and prevent a governance battle from squandering the momentum Indian boxing has built on the international stage.