Boxing Fed Reforms Get First Test in Panama

(ATR) AIBA takes a step on the journey to restore its credibility with the IOC.

The International Boxing Associationwill organize the first of five continental forums as it restructures its operations and governance following suspension by the IOC last year.

The meeting in Panama City will attract representatives from 35+ national federations in the Americas. It will take place a little more than a week since the latest report of the IOC on the AIBA suspension at the IOC Session in Lausanne.

Nenad Lalovic, president of United World Wrestling and IOC Executive Board member, told the session that AIBA needs to pick up the pace of its reforms. Lalovic leads the IOC task force overseeing the reform efforts of the suspended federation. AIBA is now aiming to lift the suspension on the way to Paris 2024.

The continental forums are supposed to be a transparent process that gives the national boxing federations the chance to influence the reforms. The one-day forum in Panama will cover amendments to the statutes, progress of the reforms and the problems existing in national federations that need help from AIBA.

Interim AIBA president Mohamed Moustahsane has said that the conclave will be "a great opportunity" to update all the needs of the national federations, to "find a way" to continue the development of boxing.

The next four continental forums in Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania are scheduled for February.

Following the forums an extraordinary general assembly is supposed to be held in March to adopt new statutes. Once the new rules are in place, elections for new leadership are to be conducted.

The IOC is demanding a complete change in AIBA leadership as a condition for reinstatement as the federation responsible for boxing at the Olympics.

Reported by Miguel Hernández.