AIBA Rejects Wu Honorary Presidency

(ATR) Boxing delegates from around the globe unanimously reject an honorary presidency for former Olympic boxing president C.K. Wu.

Leaders of 108 National Federations held up a sea of red cards during the International Boxing Association Extraordinary Congress in Dubai when the motion of Wu’s honorary presidency was motioned.

Notably absent from the congress are delegates from Chinese Taipei, Wu’s home country.

The vote followed a detailed explanation of the road that led to Wu’s resignation as president on Nov. 20. Ina 30-minute expose.

AIBA Executive Committee member Pat Fiacco described Wu’s treatment of the federation and its finances as his own personal business.

"Now you know why we’ve changed the statutes today," Fiacco told the congress. "It is evident such cases show the former president used his power and position to operate AIBA as his own, personally-owned company. There is no question that the AIBA brand and AIBA image has been tarnished to the public and to the IOC."

The nomination of Wu as an honorary president was moved up in the agenda to ensure that Fiacco’s report would precede the voting.

Sounding like a prosecutor detailing the charges against a defendant, Fiacco took delegates through a timeline that began in May 2017. Fiacco described what he termed a pattern of lies, manipulation and borderline corruption.

Fiacco, former mayor of the Canadian provincial capital Regina, sounded a more positive tone as he closed his remarks.

"All the past should be put behind us," he said. "We should never ever let these mistakes happen again. We must rise again."

A question and answer session followed Fiacco’s report but it was instead used by delegates from eight countries questioning why the nomination was even on the table.

"The former president does not by any iota deserve to be named an honorary person," said Kenya Boxing Association President John Kemata to a round of applause.

"The only title he deserves is the worst person for AIBA," Brazilian Boxing Confederation President Mauro José da Silva added.

Secretary of the Philippines Boxing Association Ed Picson had to remind the congress that the nomination was a stipulation of the deal Wu struck with AIBA executives to end all pending legal cases and have him resign as president.

The comments ended and the vote took a minute to complete. Red cards floated above the delegates. Asked for votes in favor of Wu's honorary presidency, not a single green card was raised.

The honorary presidency was one of the conditions negotiated for Wu's resignation in talks between AIBA leaders and the IOC. Wu, an IOC member since 1988, could face further scrutiny by the IOC Ethics Commission in the wake of the AIBA vote.

Reported and written by Kevin Nutley in Dubai, UAE.

Travel and accommodations provided by AIBA.

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