Concluding the first day of AIBA’s Executive Committee meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, the Executive Committee covered a variety of topics which contributed to positive discussions. Included among the subjects were the International Olympic Committee relations, appointments of commission chairs, progress reports from Confederations and AIBA HQ.  

Along with updates from the AIBA President, AIBA Vice Presidents and AIBA Executive Director, the AIBA Executive Committee were allotted time to discuss each of the agenda points openly. As a result of the good discussions, resolutions were concluded by the Executive Committee including the strong and unified support of the Executive Committee for the AIBA President and Executive Director with regards to the IOC inquiry, the decision to create a taskforce to investigate a rogue Kazakhstan group and the satisfaction expressed by all with regards to the progress being made for the 2019 AIBA Men’s and Women’s Championships as well as upcoming continental events.

AIBA Executive Committee show strong unity regarding IOC inquiry

The AIBA Executive Committee supported by all 5 continental Presidents continued to express their unwavering support for the AIBA President and Executive Director with regards to the IOC inquiry.

AIBA has said many times before, that ‘we are ready to cooperate with our Olympic Partners and will do our best to clarify any outstanding misunderstandings’. Query after query, report after report have been completed and active change has been initiated. Yet again, more information is being asked of the new AIBA leadership who has made great efforts to turn this organization around.

AIBA is healthy and in better shape than ever before. It is time to get back to focusing on the boxers and the development of the sport of boxing. President Rahimov said, “Our Boxers are waiting, they still don’t know when, where or how to qualify for the Olympic Games next year! They must be our priority. We are ready to move on from the bad past, we hope that our Olympic friends think the same.”

AIBA creates taskforce to investigate rogue group

Among the several decisions taken at the AIBA Executive Committee meeting, a taskforce was launched to investigate a letter created by a group of Kazakhstani individuals misleading AIBA National Boxing Federations and sabotaging AIBA’s position within the Olympic Movement.  The taskforce is commissioned with uncovering the parties involved in these disruptive activities and providing recommendations for disciplinary action.

Several of AIBA’s National Federations have been contacted by the Kazakhstanis with the proposal to sign a letter addressed to the IOC. These federations have openly rejected the validity of this proposal and encouraged unity within AIBA.

Concerns raised within the AIBA Executive Committee by these actions include intentional destruction of Olympic relations, lack of respect for the democratic election process from last year’s Presidential election and the attempted prolongation of suffering on National Federations due to the actions of these individuals who are putting their own personal interests above the sport of boxing.

The above-mentioned letter was addressed to the IOC Sports Director – Kit McConnell. AIBA assumes that the IOC has dismissed and distanced itself from any and all of these activities initiated by this group of individuals – the IOC has been contacted with regards to the letter, however, no response has been provided in return. In the spirit of full transparency to AIBA’s national federations, the letter can be reviewed here.

AIBA Executive Committee express huge satisfaction at progress of World Championships

Included in the update reports from the AIBA Men’s and Women’s World Championship Organizing Committees in Russia, significant milestones were reported as being achieved and both events are on target for later this year. In addition to the World Championships, positive progress was reported for boxing’s position within various continental events including the European Games, the Pan American Games, the Pacific Games and the All-Africa Games.

Executive Director Tom Virgets stated, “the AIBA Executive Committee has gathered today and I was glad to see that we all stand unified. All the members have agreed during the session of today and underlined the importance of integrity and unity. I am thankful to see the dedication of everyone and I am confident that we will work together for the good of our sport”.

The minutes from the Executive Committee Meeting will be available to National Federations in the coming weeks.

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