Russian Umar Kremlev will remain International Boxing Association’s (IBA) president, and the sport’s Olympic future will appear to remain in doubt as well.
Over the weekend in Yerevan, Armenia, the IBA Congress decided not to hold new presidential elections, which certainly drew the attention of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
On Sunday the IBA did have an extraordinary congress where delegates cast 106 notes against holding new elections. Thirty-six delegates voted in favor of new elections, while four abstained. That meant Kremlev would continue as IBA president for the full four-year term, while challenger Boris van der Vorst, despite the backing of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and others, was left out in the cold yet again. On Friday, the Ukrainian Boxing Federation was temporarily suspended due to the IBA’s claim of “interference of the government in the work of the national federation.” Kremlev is Russian and a supporter of Vladimir Putin.
“I thank national federations for their trust. This is the full stop in all governance issues within IBA,” Kremlev said. “Congress showed its will clearly in a transparent manner. I respect the decision of our national federations and will do everything possible to support them, as well as our athletes and coaches.
“The IBA is an independent and strong organization. Our Congress has proved today we are on the right track. I have a clear vision of what we have to do to achieve our goals.”
Naturally the IOC had a different viewpoint of the IBA’s decision not to hold elections.
“Following these disturbing developments, the IOC Executive Board will have to fully review the situation at its next meeting,” they said in a statement.
The IOC has already stripped the IBA of their authority for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and has removed boxing altogether from the preliminary LA28 Olympic Program, after continually expressing “grave concerns” over Kremlev’s leadership and the IBA’s governance.
During his speech, Kremlev did not mince words over his feelings about the IOC when he told delegates, “I am working for you, not a side organization. No one else should have influence on the organization.”
He also spoke of a new path, “Not Olympic boxing, but IBA boxing.”
While Kremlev dominated the headlines, the IBA did appoint a new secretary general, George Yerolimpos. He was chose over 50 other candidates by a majority of 87 percent.
Yerolimpos was secretary general of the International Teqball Federation from 2017-2019, and a former executive director of SportAccord. He was also a member of the Hellenic Olympic Committee until last year.
Últimas Noticias
Sinner-Alcaraz, the duel that came to succeed the three phenomenons
Beyond the final result, Roland Garros left the feeling that the Italian and the Spaniard will shape the great duel that came to help us through the duel for the end of the Federer-Nadal-Djokovic era.
Table tennis: Brazil’s Bruna Costa Alexandre will be Olympic and Paralympic in Paris 2024
She is the third in her sport and the seventh athlete to achieve it in the same edition; in Santiago 2023 she was the first athlete with disabilities to compete at the Pan American level and won a medal.
Rugby 7s: the best player of 2023 would only play the medal match in Paris
Argentinian Rodrigo Isgró received a five-game suspension for an indiscipline in the circuit’s decisive clash that would exclude him until the final or the bronze match; the Federation will seek to make the appeal successful.
Rhonex Kipruto, owner of the world record for the 10000 meters on the road, was suspended for six years
The Kenyan received the maximum sanction for irregularities in his biological passport and the Court considered that he was part of a system of “deliberate and sophisticated doping” to improve his performance. He will lose his record and the bronze medal at the Doha World Cup.
Katie Ledecky spoke about doping Chinese swimmers: “It’s difficult to go to Paris knowing that we’re going to compete with some of these athletes”
The American, a seven-time Olympic champion, referred to the case of the 23 positive controls before the Tokyo Games that were announced a few weeks ago and shook the swimming world. “I think our faith in some of the systems is at an all-time low,” he said.
