Federations Roundup - Skirts Optional for Women's Boxers; FIFA Taps New Security Chief

AIBA Confirms Skirts Are Optional

Women’s boxers can choose to wear skirts or shorts when they make their Olympic debut at London 2012.

AIBA confirmed late Thursday the option is now enshrined in its Technical & Competition Rules thanks to an amendment passed by the decision-making Executive Committee Bureau.

President C.K. Wu had already suggested AIBA was leaning that way in a speech given at last month’s IOC World Conference on Women and Sport and attended by Around the Rings, comments quoted almost in their entirety by Thursday’s press release.

"We never asked women to wear skirts. We heard recommendations about this from national federations and boxers. Our Technical and Rules Commission have had several discussions. Some women want to wear shorts and some others want to wear skirts," he told delegates about the hot-button-issue, adding that athletes from Poland enjoyed "very easy movement" after designing their own skirts to wear at the 2010 world champs whereas top Irish boxer Katie Taylor prefers shorts.

"I am so glad that after years of advocating, the gender barrier will be coming down soon. This year's summer Olympic Games in London will be better because 36 women boxers will have the opportunity to compete for an Olympic medal in boxing for the first time in history."

Wu’s closing punch line from Los Angeles was about the only portion of his speech left out of AIBA’s press release.

"Men cannot choose optional," he joked.

FIFA Taps New Security Chief Amid Match-Fixing Concerns

FIFA is revamping its security department in a bid to step up its fight against match-fixing, betting fraud and corruption. Top German police chief Ralf Mutschke was unveiled Friday as head of the unit.

Ralf Mutschke, senior manager at the German Federal Criminal Police Office and a former Interpol director, was unveiled Friday as head of the new-look department that is responsible for all security matters related to FIFA competitions, the global security concepts for football in general, security around FIFA headquarters in Zurich, the FIFA president and the FIFA administration, as well as for matters related to the integrity and protection of the game itself.

His appointment comes the day after FIFA launched an investigation into Bahrain's incredible 10-0 victory over a weak Indonesia side in a Brazil 2014 World Cup qualifier amid match-fixing concerns.

"We have decided to strengthen the former security department, making it into a full division in order to continue to tackle all issues related to football security and the protection of the integrity of the game," said FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke.

Mutschke, 52, takes over from FIFA's current security director Chris Eaton on June 1. Eaton announced earlier this month that he was leaving FIFA to join the International Centre for Sport Security as the organization’s director of sport integrity.

Meanwhile, the Asian Football Confederation's general secretary issued a statement on Friday to calm fears over match-fixing in the Bahrain-Indonesia match.

The margin of Bahrain's victory alerted FIFA, as the team was bidding to make up a nine-goal deficit on Qatar to book a place in the next round of Asian qualifying for Brazil 2014. But Qatar did enough to advances after drawing 2-2 with Iran.

AFC general secretary Dato’ Alex Soosay insisted the outcome of the Bahrain and Indonesia was "above suspicion" and stressed the confederation’s firm stance against match-fixing and corruption.

For more on these developing stories, visit ATR sister site World Football INSIDER.

IAAF Confirms Istanbul Entries

A record 172 countries will send athletes to next weekend’s IAAF World Indoor Championships in Istanbul.

A total of 1,299 athletes and officials are expected to compete in what will be the most important event of the 2012 World Athletics Series.

Around the Rings will be on the scene at Ataköy Athletics Arena as Ethiopia’s Meseret Defar chases her fifthstraight 3,000m indoor gold and Yelena Isinbayeva tries to top her new pole vault world record set last week in Stockholm.

Events run Friday through Sunday in the Turkish capital.

FIS Praises Sochi Ski-Cross

Sochi’s ski-cross course already ranks among the world’s best, according to the International Ski Federation’s freestyle coordinator.

"The track is one of the most difficult on the world calendar, but more interesting …" Joseph Fitzgerald said Wednesday in comments picked up by the Freestyle Federation of Russia.

"I can honestly say that I haven’t seen a better-prepared track this season, even though I’ve been at several stages of the World Cup and European Cup."

Fitzgerald’s praise came during a stage of the Russian Freestyle Cup hosted by Sochi, its first major ski-cross test event ahead of the 2014 Olympics.

Oceania Football Qualifying

Tonga and Papua New Guinea are in pole position at Oceania’s qualifying tournament for the women’s Olympic football competition.

After opening day routs of Vanuatu and Samoa, the Pacific powerhouses will square off Saturday afternoon with Samoa versus Vanuatu as the nightcap.

The winner of the four-team tournament advances to a home-and-away playoff against New Zealand for a berth at London 2012.

FEI Releases Olympic Athletes Rankings

Riders from 41 countries are now qualified for equestrian events at London 2012.

The International Equestrian Federation published Friday its Olympic Athletes Rankings, the final stage of the qualification by nation process.

To view an event-by-event breakdown of which countries are sure to be represented at the upcoming Olympics, click here.

Written by Matthew Grayson.

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