On the Record: European Candidates for AIBA President

(ATR) Four candidates from European Boxing Confederation member associations are among seven in total vying for the presidency of the embattled International Boxing Association (AIBA). The election is scheduled for AIBA’s virtual Congress on Dec. 12.

The European candidates are Russian Boxing Federation secretary general Umar Kremlev, Dutch Boxing Federation president Boris van der Vorst, AIBA executive committee member Suleyman Mikayilov of Azerbaijan and Germany’s Ramie Al-Masri, an internationally recognized referee and chairman of the Referees' Commission of the German Boxing Association.

The other three vying for AIBA president areAnas Al Otaiba of United Arab Emirates, an AIBA executive committee member; Morocco's Mohamed Moustahsane, the current interim president; and Domingo Solano of the Dominican Republic, an honorary AIBA vice-president.

Currently, only 143 of the organization’s 200 member federations are eligible to vote.

AIBA has been without a permanent president since the resignation of Gafur Rakhimov in March 2019.

The upcoming election is seen as critical for AIBA as it seeks to open a new chapter and reverse the suspension of its recognition from the International Olympic Committee.

The four European candidates each responded to four questions from Around the Rings.

Q1: European Boxing Confederation head Franco Falcinelli called for the continental membership to unite behind one candidate for the upcoming presidential election. That is not the case as there are four candidates. Do you see this as a disadvantage that the European federations are not united in support of one candidate? Why or why not?

Kremlev: I do not think that it is a disadvantage to have many candidates. This is the first time we have more than two candidates standing for AIBA president. It is truly an unprecedented moment, which illustrates democracy at work and AIBA’s newfound transparency. Seven contenders from four continents, having different professions and diverse backgrounds are all campaigning and vying for votes. This is very positive.

At the end of the day, this election is not about individual countries or continents. It is about AIBA’s future and our credibility in the eyes of the international boxing community. I am confident that National Federations will eventually unite in support of an experienced candidate with strong leadership qualities at this crucial juncture of AIBA’s history.

Van der Vorst: I do not oppose an idea of having one candidate from Europe. If we could arrange a democratic primary vote, then I would certainly agree to narrow the lineup of European candidates to one. However, this would contradict the current election regulations and AIBA presidential elections are not a continental battle, especially given the crucial task for AIBA to return into the Olympic Family.

Al-Masri: I am confident that the national federations will vote for the best candidate who is able to solve the most urgent problems for AIBA to promote boxing in the world. There are about 46 national federations in Europe whereas we have about 200 national federations. So, Europe is an important part in the election, but it will be decisive to unite the rest of the world behind one candidate.

Mikayilov: It is natural that a Confederation President, who does not run in the election, wants to elect the future AIBA president from his continent. Currently, AIBA has two candidates who are also Confederation presidents so Franco Falcinelli also wants to have one sole continental representative to challenge these continental rivals.

As I am one of four candidates from Europe, I would first like to have full support from National Federations in Europe and so I support the effort of our Confederation president. However, I am not concerning myself by worrying about other candidates. I believe that nobody else is seriously addressing the key issues at hand with realistic solutions like I am.

We saw from the IOC [last] week what they want to see from AIBA moving forward and my manifesto in comparison to the other candidates clearly outlines what and how AIBA can address these problems, unite once again and set out on a bright future.

Q2: What is the single greatest challenge facing AIBA looking towards its future? If elected, what will you do to implement change in order to improve relations with the IOC and have the current suspension lifted?

Kremlev: The biggest challenge for AIBA is to complete all the tasks to bring AIBA back to the Olympic family in time for the Paris Olympics 2024. The financial crisis at AIBA was one of the reasons for its suspension of recognition by the IOC for the first time in our history.

Together with my team, we will ensure that AIBA will no longer be burdened by debt, which was accumulated during previous administrations. Under my presidency, we will carry out large-scale marketing activities and attract new sponsors while concluding agreements with broadcasters. This can generate $50 million within a year or two, which is more than enough to pay off AIBA’s debt.

It will be equally important to address other challenges, such as boxing development, a clear anti-doping policy and fair refereeing, and I laid out a detailed plan in my manifesto about how to tackle them.

Van der Vorst: The culture of leadership and management is a vast underlying issue driving AIBA to self-destruction.

If I am granted the honor to lead AIBA, I will closely work with National Federations in the course of the coming year to set the foundation for a new organizational culture and achieve reinstatement as an IOC-recognized Summer Olympic International Federation. I have put forward a concrete plan to ensure a Clean Break for World Boxing.

First, we will openly conduct a real governance reform, starting with developing and approving new, truly reformative statutes within 4 months from December 13, 2020. These statutes will provide for a complete renewal of leadership in AIBA and will give more control to National Federations, especially in electing the most qualified individuals into standing commissions.

I will complete a review of AIBA’s ethical standards and ensure compliance. I will be working hard to restore trust of boxers and boxing fans. We will achieve that by combating sport manipulation relentlessly, following the footsteps of the IOC BTF. Of course, I will create a professional and flexible management team, selected from many talented and devoted representatives of National Federations I have spoken to recently. I have succeeded at creating highly capable teams in my companies as well as the Dutch Boxing Federation.

I will look to develop AIBA’s financial position sustainably. AIBA certainly has the potential to generate additional revenues from media rights, sponsorships, advertisement, licensing and governing fitness/business boxing, but not before we get our house in order.

I am convinced that once we take these steps and achieve key objectives, AIBA will meet the criteria set by the IOC Inquiry Committee Report for its reinstatement. When we are granted the honor and the privilege to return into the Olympic Family, we will continue to drive cultural change within our International Federation.

Al-Masri: It is, without doubt, of utmost importance to regain full IOC membership to be the – internationally recognized – governing body of Olympic boxing and, of course, to receive the frozen funds to solve our financial problems.

The IOC stated in its reports quite clearly what is needed to reform AIBA. If elected, I would do my job: Analyze the criteria named, compare to AIBA standards and change these standards accordingly to meet the requirements.

Mikayilov: The division within AIBA is the obvious challenge at the moment and has been for years. To have effective change moving forward, we need to work as one consolidated and together federation. As I have said, it has been made clear by what they want to see from AIBA before we can take control of boxing at the Olympic Games.

So we must rid the infighting and division and demonstrate a united front with a commitment to adapt to the changes required. I will implement a whole new structure in relation to governance, integrity, gender equality and finance management with a detailed implementation strategy.

If we can be successful in this serious reform process then we can start to look forward positively once again and earn the credibility from IOC. Then, we believe the IOC will lift the suspension.

Q3: Candidates have detailed their plans and strategies in their released manifestos. However, on a personal level, why do you believe that you are the best candidate to unite and lead the AIBA national federations moving forward?

Kremlev: In a short period of time, less than two years, the unprofitable Russian Boxing Federation has become a self-sufficient organization. We have attracted new sponsors and today the Russian Boxing Federation is the best National Federation in the world. For two years in a row, all international federations have recognized us as the best.

We launched the first Global Boxing Forum and the International Boxing Day, while organizing European Championships, World Boxing Championships for men and women. We launched continental forums in order to build a dialogue between AIBA and all National Federations, and we have built dozens of new Boxing Centres. Our hotline helped Russian people during the coronavirus pandemic, as we distributed millions of masks and antiseptics to everyone in need.

I also have the necessary international experience as I served as AIBA Executive Committee member and as vice-president of the European Boxing Confederation. As someone who understands the boxing community well, knowing the sport inside out, I have the necessary skills and drive to get the job done. I believe I am the only candidate who has shown a long-term vision for the development of our boxing family, with a clear strategy to wipe the slate clean and to remake AIBA.

Under my leadership, not in words, but in deeds, AIBA will be one of the cleanest and most powerful sports organizations in the world. We will make AIBA great again!

Van der Vorst: I can draw from my different sources of experience to lead AIBA: as a boxer, as a successful businessperson, as president of a reformed National Federation, and as Chair of the European Boxing Confederation Passion for Boxing Commission.

I know how to reform and develop an organization, how to improve its financial position and care for the people that work together with me.

Importantly, I have nothing to hide and can speak honestly about the past of AIBA, as I have not been involved in any of the situations referenced in the IOC IC Report.

Al-Masri: I never had, in the past, any position in AIBA. I therefore have a fully clean record without any skeletons in the closet. As an entrepreneur, I am used to running a company in a sustainable manner. In this context, I would try to improve financial and boundary conditions especially for poorer national federations to give them a fair chance to develop and grow.

Mikayilov: I have given everything I can to AIBA, to my national federation and to my boxers. I have done this because I owe everything to boxing. Boxing is how I went to university and started my career in the Azerbaijani government. I am proud of all that boxing has given me and now it is time to give back. I am the only candidate who was a boxer and who has profound knowledge about our sport.

If I am elected as the next President of AIBA, I guarantee that our boxers will once again have pride in AIBA. Unfortunately, our sport and our organization have lost sight of why we are here: to support our boxers. They have watched as AIBA was mismanaged and is now kicked out of the Olympic Games by the IOC.

In the first 100 days of my presidency, I will institute reforms for good governance and clear all our debts. As AIBA president I will implement new technologies so boxers and boxing fans can trust our competition with fair judging. I will increase the solidarity of the global boxing family and improve communication so that we can move forward. And most importantly, I will make sure the IOC trusts AIBA and allows us to oversee boxing at the Olympic Games. The future of AIBA is at stake. We cannot exist if we are out of the Olympics.

The reason why I should be the best candidate is that I am the only candidate who has realistic and achievable goals and capabilities to protect AIBA and I hope to have the backing of the federations on 12 December.

Q4: In your estimation, who is the greatest boxer of all-time?

Kremlev: My all-time favorite is Muhammad Ali. He was not only a phenomenal boxer, who dedicated his life to the sport, but also an activist and philanthropist. He had a brilliant career and led a fascinating life, always delivering in terms of sports and his charity work for the people.

Van der Vorst: Muhammad Ali. He was a great boxer, but he is a true legend because of his wide social impact.

Al-Masri: This is very hard to answer, since there have been many excellent boxers over the years. As a little child, I woke up in the middle to the night to watch Muhammad Ali in the ring. He was an idol of my childhood. So if I have to choose, I would take him.

Mikayilov: There are too many illustrious boxers in AIBA’s history to pick just one! When I was in the ring I was a counter-attacker and I always enjoyed watching Muhammad Ali’s brilliance. I was also a big admirer of Teofilo Stevenson.

Note: Some responses have been shortened for brevity.

Interviews by Brian Pinelli

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