(ATR) International Amateur Boxing Association President CK Wu is battling to keep his mandate ahead of an extraordinary congress.
AIBA announced today in a release that an extraordinary congress will be held in the next three months "to examine the issues that have emerged within the Executive Committee members over the past two days in complete transparency."
The EC met for two days this week in Moscow where members decided to put the presidency of Wu up to a confidence vote at the extraordinary congress with all 201 AIBA members.
Wu hit out against members of his own executive committee and media reports in a statement following the meeting in Moscow. He said that "the emergence of a negative faction within the Executive Committee" is creating a "false narrative in the media" to undermine AIBA.
"Over the past two days, this faction's focus on political maneuvering rather than the dynamic presentations that have shown the bright future of our sport speaks volumes about their priorities, but nonetheless important decisions were made that leave me with the responsibility to build this new age for boxing," Wu said.
"When members of the Executive Committee threaten to walk out of their meeting before having heard the financial audit and reports they requested, it makes me question their motives for being on the Executive Committee of a sport they claim to love, while focusing on personal agendas and privileges. These individuals have been on the powerful Executive Committee for years and have been integral in all decision-making. The indifference they have shown to the development of boxing has been in marked contrast to the unity and hard work shown by AIBA staff."
The confidence vote stems from the alleged financial mismanagement of AIBA regarding the financing of its World Series of Boxing. AIBA is alleged to owe upwards of $30 million to various creditors, according to media reports last week. The federation spoke toAround the Rings,quicklyhitting back at those reportsand stating that AIBA is in communication with each creditor and would take action against documents leaked to the press.
Previous Executive Director Ho Kim, in comments to ATR, disputed AIBA’s accounts of the status of the loans after reports of financial mismanagement went public. Kim was fired by AIBA in 2015, and the federation continues to place blame on his financial management. Subsequently, Kim has waged a war of words with AIBA and continues to be a thorn in the side of federation leadership.
Where and when the extraordinary congress will take place is to be determined. AIBA will hold its 2017 World Championships in Hamburg, Germany on Aug. 25 to Sept. 3. Even as turmoil gripped the executive committee meeting this week, AIBA found time to allocate its next two world championships. The 2019 edition will be in Sochi and the 2021 Championships will go to New Delhi, India.
Written by Aaron Bauer
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