AIBA Holds First Executive Meeting Without Wu

(ATR) The International Boxing Association’s work to regain stability will be the primary focus of its Executive Committee meeting that begins Jan. 15 in Rome.

The two-day meeting of boxing executives will be the first gathering of AIBA’s leadership since former president C.K. Wu resigned in November after months of infighting and disputes about the finances of the federation.

AIBA, under the leadership of interim president Franco Falcinelli, began an extensive review of the finances in the months leading up to Wu’s resignation and has continued that work over the past two months.

The 22-member Executive Committee will receive updates on the efforts to re-establish financial stability and a better governance model during the meeting in Rome.

"This is the first EC meeting since C.K. Wu’s resignation so the first thing that needs to be done is to have the EC updated on the AIBA activity since his resignation," AIBA executive Pat Fiacco tells Around the Rings.

"We will also receive an update on the EC initiated governance model review from TSE, a top governance agency. We will also receive an update from the acting Interim President Franco Falcinelli."

Creating a new governance model will be essential for the future success of the federation. The updates provided on this front during the EC meeting in Rome will set the tone for the upcoming Extraordinary Congress slated for Jan. 27 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

"The congress is going to be an important one because the issues that probably led us to here are the weak statutes we are governed by," Fiacco told ATR after Wu’s resignation. "That’s the first thing we’re going to resolve is there will be a number of recommendations made to ensure the statutes are changed so we are never put in this situation again."

Once the AIBA constitution is revised, the federation can begin the process of electing its next president. This will likely happen in November 2018 during the next regular AIBA Congress.

Around the Rings is on the scene at the Sheraton Roma Hotel and Convention Center for the pivotal meeting of boxing’s new leadership.

Written by Kevin Nutley in Rome.

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