While Indian boxers put up a good show at the Asian Games, winning six medals, including three gold, the BFI administration has struggled to present a united front since Singh took over for a third term following a fractious election in August last year.

Just days after the Asian Games, as Singh was celebrating the success of the Indian boxing team, BFI secretary general Pramod Kumar dropped a bombshell by issuing a notice to state units to assemble for an SGM and proposing a "no-confidence motion" against Singh. He alleged a "total breakdown of trust and serious governance collapse under the leadership of Singh" and claimed that a majority of the 34 state units supported the move. In a official statement BFI, termed the SGM unauthorized.

Seasoned BFI administrators like senior vice-president Leonardo (Lenny) D'Gama, a reputed international boxing technical official, executive body members Rajesh Bhandari, BFI treasurer Pon Bhaskaran, among others, have assembled here for the SGM on Wednesday. The members said around 27 of the 35 state units have gathered for the SGM. They had a meeting on Tuesday. A two-thirds majority is required under the BFI constitution to pass a no-confidence motion against the president

"We are all together. There is overwhelming support from the state units. Some members will join us on Wednesday," BFI secretary general Pramod Kumar told HT.

He said the members have written to World Boxing, the Indian Olympic Association and the Sports Ministry about the SGM and its agenda. "World Boxing has said it is keeping track of the developments. The IOA will send an observer for the SGM," Pramod informed.

Singh, who is also the SpiceJet chairman, appears to have been facing heat within the BFI for sometime now. It was briefly halted after the elections but several members who supported him have now changed their stance. State units point to a breakdown of the governance structure and a lack of support from the federation amid prolonged infighting.

"The sport is suffering. There is no long-term planning for its development. The administration is in a serious crisis, and we need to change it now," Lenny told HT.

"Nothing is being done for the development of boxers, development of coaches or referees and judges. There are not enough competitions across various age groups. We spoke about organising a boxing league so that boxers could also earn money, but nothing has happened. How can we win medals in the Olympics like this? We are winning medals right now only because the government has been supporting us with funds," said Lenny, who backed Singh during the election.

"There is not even an office for the federation. The technical officials who conduct domestic tournaments have not been paid TA/DA for four years now, and I have often raised the issue," he alleged.

Interestingly, Pramod Kumar, who is also secretary general of the Uttar Pradesh Boxing Association, has been organising most of the BFI's domestic competitions, including the senior national championships in Greater Noida, over the past couple of years under Singh's regime. With several state units miffed with the functioning of the BFI's top brass, there have been few takers for hosting domestic competitions.

The members says the "amendments to the BFI constitution" handed Singh more power. They claim that members had objected to the amendments during a virtual meeting, but it was not heard. Matters related to BFI election is already being heard in court.

Surinder Kumar Shandil, general secretary of the Himachal Pradesh Boxing Association, said the BFI was not being "run through consensus".

"The BFI president has taken over the powers of the executive board through amendments and by unilaterally taking decisions," he said.

"BFI state units have no funds. The federation made promises but has given nothing to the state units. The BFI itself is in a financial mess. There is no structure, no vision. How can we win medals at the Olympics like this?" he said.

Shandil said state units were struggling financially due to a lack of funds.

Following the call of SGM BFI president Singh suspended the secretary general on October 13, citing inquiries into alleged financial irregularities against him and accusing him of trying to destabilise the federation. The following day, Pramod issued another letter, this time announcing Singh's suspension for showing no regard for the "democratic set-up" and treating the BFI as "your fiefdom".

"The BFI does not even have the recognition of the IOA and the Sports Ministry. The Ministry's recognition came for a brief period because we had to host the World Cup," Kumar said.

Dronacharya awardees and Arjuna awardee boxers, including Rajkumar Sangwan, Mohammed Ali Qamar, Manoj Kumar, SR Singh, Anup Singh and Jaypal Singh, among others, held a meeting in the Capital.