The International Boxing Association (AIBA) has agreed a partnership with IMG, the global leader in sports, media and events, for the sale and distribution of worldwide broadcast rights for the APB/WSB Olympic Qualification Tournament to be held in Vargas, Venezuela, from 3-8 July.
It will be the first AIBA event to benefit from the recent change in the AIBA statute, as ratified at its Extraordinary Congress on 1 June, allowing all professional boxers to participate in all competitions, including the forthcoming Rio 2016 Olympic Games. IMG will have global rights across all broadcast platforms, including gaming.
"This important new partnership underlines the unique appeal of our sport and the power it has to attract millions of TV viewers all over the world. Having IMG on board will undoubtedly help us to reinforce the promotion of all of AIBA’s first-class competitions and ensure the long-term development of our sport to the benefit of the National Federations and their boxers." said AIBA Executive Director Karim Bouzidi.
National Federations may register eligible professional boxers for the tournament, from which 26 Olympic quota places are available to the best boxers across the ten weight categories.
Kristian Hysen, Vice President and Head of Boxing for IMG Media, said: "This is an historic event in the world of boxing. It’s a great opportunity for broadcasters, across all media, to show the qualifying tournament featuring professional boxers competing for a place at the Olympic Games for the first time. "
For more information, please contact:
AIBA PR & Communications Department
+41 21 321 27 77
communication@aiba.org
About IMG
IMG is a global leader in sports, events, media and fashion, operating in more than 30 countries. The company represents and manages some of the world’s greatest sports figures and fashion icons, stages hundreds of live events and branded entertainment experiences annually and is one of the largest independent producers and distributors of sports media. IMG also specializes in sports training, league development and marketing, media and licensing for brands, sports organizations and collegiate institutions. In 2014, IMG was acquired by WME, a leading global entertainment agency.
Gary Double
Vice President, Corporate Communications
+44 208 233 7425 / +44 7768 825114
gary.double@img.com
AIBA
The International Boxing Association (AIBA), a non-profit international organization, is the world governing body for boxing at all levels and in all formats. AIBA is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and works for the benefit of the sport and all its stakeholders to help boxing achieve its goals both within the Olympic Movement and the international sporting world.
For more information, please visit aiba.org.
William Louis-Marie
Director, PR and Communications
+41 7979 444 95
William.louis-marie@aiba.org
Nicolas Jomard
Senior Corporate and Media Relations Manager
+41 21 321 27 77
Nicolas.Jomard@aiba.org
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