Boxing Fed Searches for End to Crisis

(ATR) Leaders of the IOC suspended International Boxing Federation meet in Istanbul this weekend, still searching for solutions to the crisis that threatens to shutter AIBA.

The 26-member federation Executive Committee will hear reports on finance, governance and the operation of upcoming world championships.

Interim president Mohamed Moustahsane, the third interim leader since 2017, will convene the meeting but whether he will remain in charge afterwards remains to be seen.Moustahsane has indicated he will not continue and has advised his colleagues in a letter about the August 31 meeting that discussion of who will succeed him is one of the items on the agenda.

Moustahsane, from Morocco, stepped up to the interim presidency in March when the controversial Gafur Rakhimov resigned just five months after being elected to a four-year term. Rakhimov’s election was not welcomed by the IOC, which views him as a reputational risk to AIBA, other sports federations as well as the IOC.

Rakhimov, an Uzbek businessman who’s been involved with boxing in central Asia for many years, is also named by the US government as an individual suspected of links to Russian organized crime. Rakhimov denies the allegations and says he stepped down as president for the good of AIBA.

The IOC officially suspended AIBA from any role in organizing the boxing tournament for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in an overwhelming vote at the IOC session in June. Currently a small group of IOC members has taken over organizing the qualification process for boxers who will compete in Tokyo.

Stopping short of ending permanently AIBA’s association with the IOC, the suspension provides a path for the federation to return.

Extensive changes in governance, adherence to ethical standards, resolving financial issues and a system of refereeing and judging with integrity all mustbe addressed according to the IOC.

The meeting in Istanbul is coming just a week away from the start of the men’s world championship that will be held in Russia. No longer a qualifying event for the Olympics, 450 boxers are still expected to go to Ekaterinburg for the competition next month.

With the treasury of the federation nearing depletion, the Russian Boxing Federation will play host as well as paymaster for the event.

Umar Kremlev, secretary general of the Russian federation, has said that money is available from his country to help AIBA recover from the crushing debt faced in Lausanne. Under the IOC sanctions no money normally due an Olympic sport federation from the IOC for a share of broadcasting revenues has been paid to AIBA. Carrying debt that’s estimated to reach nearly $20 million, it’s anybody’s guess how AIBA can find the money it needs without accepting the Russian offer.

On governance, Moustahsane’s possible departure means the interim presidency will go to one of four other vice presidents. Franco Falcinelli, president of the European Boxing Union, is said to be a possibility to return as interim chief, a post he held briefly in late 2017 to early 2018.

A federation task force is working on wholesale changes to the Constitution and bylaws of the organization that will satisfy demands for best practices from the IOC.

Adopting these reforms as well as electing a clean slate of leaders will require a full Congress for AIBA. That is scheduled for November 15 in Lausanne. But with shaky finances and substantial work still to do on the governance reforms, a delay for the congress is possible.

Reported by Ed Hula.