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IOC EB: Paris 2024 boxing competition not to be run by IBA

2022-06-25 17:10 Xinhua

BEIJING, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The boxing competition of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will not be run under the authority of the International Boxing Association (IBA), announced the Executive Board (EB) of International Olympic Committee (IOC) late on Friday.

Following the investigation and report by an IOC Inquiry Committee in 2019, recognition of IBA (then called "AIBA") was suspended by the IOC. IOC created a special Task Force, led by IOC Member and President of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) Morinari Watanabe, to deliver the qualification events and competition of boxing Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

"The decision is centered on the athletes and the need to provide certainty on the Olympic competitions and qualifications leading to Paris 2024. It follows the continuing and very concerning issues of the IBA, such as its governance and its refereeing and judging system," said IOC EB.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on June 14 overturned an IBA decision that excluded Boris van der Vorst and three other electoral candidates from the election citing the rule violation the day prior to the scheduled IBA elections. The CAS arbitrator accepted the request that they be reinstated as eligible candidates. Furthermore, the CAS said that incumbent president Umar Kremlev also had the same minor breach of regulations and "had not been sanctioned for it".

With regard to the planned IBA qualification pathway to Paris 2024, the IOC EB noted that no host-city agreements had been signed for the qualification competitions and there was an insufficient number of certified referees and judges to deliver the planned events.

The Board of Directors of IBA met on Friday to discuss a series of matters concerning governance, finance, and sporting integrity.

"IBA is deeply disappointed by the IOC's decision," said IBA in a statement.

IBA said that the Board was elected only last month and key elements of the Olympic Qualification System, which were previously indicated to the IOC, got approved on Friday. IBA will now take some time to carefully consider its next steps.

The IBA agreed to hold an Extraordinary Congress between September 24 and October 1. The proposed agenda will be comprised of two points: a motion to hold a new presidential election and the election itself. ■