AIBA President and IOC Executive Board member Dr. Ching-Kuo Wu has visited the Kosovo Olympic Committee two months after the country made its first ever Olympic appearance, at the Rio 2016 Games. Dr Wu met with the Prime Minister of Kosovo Isa Mustafa and attended the National Youth Boxing Championships with NOC President Mr Besim Hasani before attending a gala dinner alongside the country’s team of eight Olympians, who returned home from Rio with a historic gold medal thanks to women’s Judo star Majlinda Kelmendi.

“It is so important that we support emerging countries so that they can enjoy the participation and unity that comes with the Olympic Games. Supporting smaller nations is something that we have always taken seriously at AIBA, with our membership reaching 200 National Federations in our 70^th year as world boxing’s governing body. I would like to congratulate Kosovo’s first Olympians on their remarkable achievements and wish them well for the future and we look forward to growing boxing in the months and years to come,” said AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu.

Kosovo’s Olympic status was recognised for the first time in 2014, and the Youth Boxing Championships served to underline the National Federation’s commitment to the development of grassroots boxing in the country. Dr Wu gave a speech praising the NOC’s performance in Rio and pledging AIBA’s commitment to the development of boxing in Kosovo.

Ahead of the evening’s gala dinner, Dr Wu visited the Kosovo NOC and the office of Prime Minister Isa Mustafa to exchange gifts and discuss how to build on Kosovo’s exceptional Olympic debut and ensure that its future potential is realised. Both Dr Wu and Prime Minister Isa Mustafa then attended the NOC’s second anniversary gala dinner. Dr Wu presented Olympic pins to the country’s eight Olympians before receiving an award for his own extraordinary contribution to the recognition of the Kosovo NOC, underlined in a short film outlining the NOC’s effort.

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