(ATR) The International Boxing Association has hit back at criticism of plans to allow professional boxers to compete at the Rio Games.
Among the critics is former heavyweight champion David Haye who last week said AIBA president C.K. Wu’s controversial plans to fast-track pro boxers into the Olympics would seriously endanger fighters’ health and safety.
"I think you’re going to get some young kids hurt and you’re definitely going to stunt the growth of these young kids," he told the SportsPro Live conference in London.
"AIBA has continuously sought to evolve the sport of boxing, always acting in the boxers’ utmost interest and the recent launch of the Head’s Up program is a testament to this," AIBA spokesman William Louis-Marie tells Around the Rings.
"On the other hand, all boxers participating to the Olympic Games have to go through qualification tournaments where the level of the competition is very high," he added.
"All our qualified boxers have gained huge experience in our various AIBA boxing competitions and we would like to outline that the format of the competition, three rounds of three minutes, could be also seen as an advantage for our boxers."
The International Boxing Association opened up the Rio Olympics to pro boxers last month subject to a vote at an extraordinary congress on June 1 when Wu hopes the federation’s statutes can be amended to "to permit national federations to register boxers who have been involved in non-AIBA professional boxing matches".
"It will be up to the national federations to determine which boxers are eligible to be part of a national team, subject to competition specific criteria, and to register the best boxers for the forthcoming AIBA Olympic qualification events," said AIBA spokesman Louis-Marie.
Eight-time world champion Manny Pacquiao has been personally invited to fight in Rio by the AIBA president.
Some World Series of Boxing and AIBA Pro Boxing fighters were already qualified, "so pro boxer presence in Rio is already assured".
"Whether it [the Games] will include new boxers subsequent to the rule change, it will be the decision of the national federations to register their boxers to the upcoming qualification tournaments," he said.
British fighter Haye said last week that the AIBA drive to get pro boxers to the Olympics was motivated by AIBA’s efforts to make money.
AIBA denies this is the case. "AIBA is a non-profit organization that puts boxers’ interest first and its main mission is to develop the sport of boxing in all its form from grassroots to elite levels and life outside the ring," Louis-Marie said.
Asked why AIBA was fast-tracking pro boxing into the Rio Games rather than waiting for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, he said: "AIBA believes that all boxers should be entitled to participate to the Olympic Games once they meet the eligibility criteria and are registered by their national federations.
"The decision to open up Olympic Games eligibility for all boxers and officials is in line with the IOC Agenda 2020 to have the best athletes in the Games.
Of the 28 summer Olympic sports, he said AIBA was one of the last IFs to exclude professional athletes from its competitions and structures.
"On the other hand, this will empower further the national federations and give them more possibilities to help their boxers grow in experience," he said.
Earlier this month, the IOC backed AIBA’s plan to scrap the use of headgear in the men’s boxing competition at the Rio Olympics. It will be the first time headgear is not used since the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games.
The federation’s medical commission studied the use of headgear and concluded that it led to more concussions and facial contusions due to the boxer’s false sense of security using the protective gear.
AIBA said using headgear at the women's world championships in May will allow the federation "to establish a benchmark with headguards for medical studies moving forward".
Reported by Mark Bisson
20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.
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