Boxers Worldwide Left in Limbo as Their Olympic Future Remains Unclear

Lausanne, March 28, 2019

Boxers from around the world who have been training for years towards their Olympic dreams continue to be left in the dark about where, when and how they can qualify for the Tokyo Olympic Games in a little more than a year.

This is the main concern of the International Boxing Association after taking note of the statements made today by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) regarding the ad-hoc inquiry committee report to the Executive Board.

While AIBA has provided not one, but four comprehensive reports over the course of the last year to the IOC EB for review, it is very surprising that the IOC are unable to provide a conclusive decision regarding boxing’s Olympic future at this time. Given that an additional report was submitted on February 20th 2019 and assurances were given that an official hearing and inquiry would be made before the IOC EB meeting in March 2019, AIBA is gravely concerned by the indifference shown towards the process and preparation of athletes for the Games.

Since late 2017, there were claims of concern regarding AIBA and in response AIBA has undergone a complete transformation, working positively with a number of Olympic partners to rebuild all areas of the organisation. Improvements have been made on all fronts and the organization has clearly demonstrated its dedication to moving forward and improving its practices for the sake of the sport of Boxing and its athletes.

Tom Virgets, AIBA Executive Director said: "We have done everything in our power to work with the IOC, providing them with numerous reports and documentation. There is no more information left to give; it is now time to wrap up this inquiry and move forward. This further delay has a direct impact on our athletes, it is a complete disaster for boxers around the world who are being left in limbo without any support or access funding. We don’t understand why we can’t put the well-being of boxers ahead of anything else, it is time to move on - our boxers are waiting, our officials are waiting and our fans are waiting."

Contacts:

Tom Virgets, AIBA Executive Director: tom.virgets@aiba.org

About AIBA

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) is the worldwide governing body for the sport of boxing in all its form with a total of 203 Member Federations. AIBA works on behalf of all levels of boxing, women and men, to reinvigorate the sport’s grass roots, develop youth and elite boxing and create new opportunities for semi-pro and pro-boxers. AIBA’s vision for boxing also embraces and adheres to the spirit and values of the Olympic Movement. With these values, AIBA ensures the highest levels of transparent standards including for all global competitions, rankings, judging and boxers’ remuneration. AIBA is headquartered in the "Olympic Capital" Lausanne, Switzerland.

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