Summer Federations Roundup -- Van Wijk Clarifies Actions, Volleyball Requests Funds

Ed van Wijk, the expelled AIBA Medical Commission chair, says he does not know what he did to deserve expulsion. (ATR) Expelled AIBA Member Admits to Ethics Complaint Violations

Ed van Wijk, the former International Boxing Association Medical Commission chair from the Netherlands, tells Around the Rings the AIBA ethics complaints against him were true.

Van Wijk’s was one of 15 cases of expulsion that the AIBA Executive Committee dealt with due to unethical behavior.

AIBA accused the Dutch doctor of keeping an AIBA laptop and the Medical Commission’s funds for eight months after the federation demanded he return them.

Van Wijk, who served in AIBA for 28 years, told ATR he kept the items “just to make them [AIBA] tickle a little and ask me what is going on, and they did.” He claimed he was expelled without a proper explanation for the action.

According to van Wijk, AIBA accused him of “causing damage” to the federation, but he says he doesn’t have "the slightest idea” what he did. “Neither can other people say what I did.” He admitted he was “critical” of AIBA’s decisions to remove the boxer’s head guards and the number of rounds in a bout.

“If he [AIBA President CK Wu] says jump I will not jump,” van Wijk said. He added having “people who are critical keeps you awake.”

His quest for information could lead to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Van Wijk said if he did not get a reason for what damages he caused, and the reason he was expelled, he would consider taking his case to the court.

“I still want an answer for the damage I did to AIBA.”

For his part, van Wijk says he reached out to Wu for an answer nearly forty times. He said he received word of his expulsion only from an e-mail.

“I would expect from an IOC member he would call me, or at the minimum have a personal talk. It still gives me a nasty feeling.”

Van Wijk said AIBA members are afraid of President Wu and Ho Kim, the federation’s secretary general.

“This is dictatorship. Mister Ho Kim is interfering with all commissions on everything. I don’t think this is the right direction. There is a lot of fear; people don’t like to say what they think.

“The IOC doesn’t know what the damage he is causing.”

Whatever the outcome, van Wijk said he doesn’t think he will return to AIBA as long as the federation is run by Wu and Kim.

FIVB Requests British Government Assistance of Volleyball

The International Volleyball Federation wants the British government to provide financial assistance to the nation’s Olympic volleyball and beach volleyball teams going into the 2012 Games in London.

FIVB President Wei Jizhong told London 2012 organizing committee chairman Sebastian Coe in a letter released on Tuesday that it is imperative that the government help fund volleyball and beach volleyball for the next four years.

The two sports are among nine Olympic disciplines facing financial shortfalls since U.K. Sport, which funds Olympic sports in Great Britain, is lacking in investments from private businesses due to the global economic downturn. FIVB President Jizhong Wei wants the British government to provide financial assistance to its Olympic volleyball and beach volleyball teams. (Getty Images)

“At present, there is not yet funding in place for volleyball or beach volleyball after March 31, 2009,” Wei told Coe in the letter.

“However, it is imperative that the (British federation) receives the promised support from the British government. We come to you to ask for your support in this situation.”

With Great Britain as the host nation of the 2012 Games, British volleyball and beach volleyball teams are assured of an automatic place in the Olympic men’s and women’s tournaments for each sport.

Taekwondo Approves Amendments to Competition Rules at Council Meeting

A reduction in the size of the competition area was among the amendments approved by the World Taekwondo Federation Council at its meeting in Ankara, Turkey on Monday.

The amendment proposes the shortening of the taekwondo competition area from the current 10 by 10 meters to 8 by 8 meters.

Another major amendment was the federation’s designation of the World Taekwondo Academy in South Korea as its international academic center for studies, education and research of the sport.

The WTF Council also voted for the adoption of a world athlete ranking system and a Code of Ethics.

In other amendments, the council approved the change of the name of the WTF Education Committee to the WTF Education, Training and Development Committee, while also giving approval to the creation of the WTF Technical Committee for Poomsae, one of the disciplines in taekwondo. The World Taekwondo Federation Council approved an amendment to reduce the size of the competition area. (Getty Images)

All of the items approved by the council will take effect sometime in 2009, pending final approval by the WTF General Assembly. The federation plans to send the approved amendments to the General Assembly for voting by e-mail or regular mail later this month or early January 2009. Voting will take place for a month and the WTF will tally the results and announce the decisions of the Assembly.

The next council meeting is scheduled for June 2009, during the WTF World Cup Taekwondo Team Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Former FIH Vice President Manzoon Hussain Atif, 1928-2008

Manzoor Hussain Atif, an Olympic field hockey player for Pakistan and former International Hockey Federation vice president, has died. He was 80.

Atif played for the Pakastani squad that won the first field hockey gold medal in the nation’s history at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, defeating India 1-0 in the finals.

He also served as FIH vice president from 1982-2000, having joined the federation as a council member in 1968.

Atif served on a number of the federation’s committees and made major contributions to the Hockey Rules Board. He received the FIH Order of Merit in 1982 and became a Member of Honor in 2002.

PSA Hires Greenspace to Widen Appeal of Squash

The Professional Squash Association has hired brand identity agency Greenspace to refresh and re-invigorate the PSA Tour Super Series in order to widen the appeal of the sport.

Greenspace will be in charge of updating the image of squash and make it more appealing to a younger, more diverse audience.

The agency will be looking at all aspects of the game, from the design of the court and spectator experience at the tournaments to player uniforms and profiles and marketing campaigns.

“The image, and therefore perception, of World Squash hasn’t really moved on since its inception,” PSA Chairman Ziad Al-Turki of Saudi Arabia said. “I’m excited to be working with Greenspace, who have really captured our imagination with ways to bring the sport alive to a new audience as we approach the 2012 Olympics.”

…Briefs

…The International Archery Federation has signed an agreement with the International School Sport Federation to further develop archery in schools. FITA Secretary General Tom Dielen and ISF President Jean Louis Boujon signed the agreement at the French National Olympic Committee headquarters in Paris.

…The British Triathlon Federation has reappointed Sarah Springman as its president and chair of the board of directors for another four-year term. Springman, an elite triathlon competitor in the 1980s and 90s, was also re-elected to a second term as vice president of the International Triathlon Union in November.

…The European Hockey Federation has renewed its Protocol Agreement with the African Hockey Federation for another two years, effective Jan. 1, 2009. The agreement originated in 2004 and has been instrumental in improved relations between the two federations.

…Taekwondo Federation of India has cancelled an invitation to Pakistan for a friendship match that was to be held in Lucknow, India Dec. 19 to 21 in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai. The TFI called off the invitation following the Indian government’s accusation of a Pakistani link to the Mumbai terrorist attacks.

…The British Triathlon Federation has selected Fast Track, the leading independent sports marketing agency in Great Britain, to develop the sport leading up to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Fast Track will be responsible for developing and delivering a domestic televised events strategy for triathlon through marketing and PR strategies.

Written by Greg Oshust.