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AIBA hopeful of of having ban lifted ahead of rescheduled Olympics

The international governing body of amateur boxing (AIBA) is hopeful of having its Olympics suspe...



AIBA hopeful of of having ban...
Other Sports

AIBA hopeful of of having ban lifted ahead of rescheduled Olympics

The international governing body of amateur boxing (AIBA) is hopeful of having its Olympics suspension lifted before the Tokyo Games.

The decision to suspend the AIBA last May came after a six-month investigation by the International Olympic Committee born of the 2018 election of Gafur Rakhimov as its president.

Despite Rakhimov's decision to step down last March, the IOC were unhappy with the body's governance and put the suspension in place and took control of the Olympic boxing competition and qualification for Tokyo 2020.

Russia's Boxing Federation president, Umar Kremlev, who holds a position with the AIBA, has told news agency Reuters that he believes the necessary reforms will be completed in order to bring an end to the ban.

"I'm sure that by the end of the year or early next year, AIBA and the IOC will find a mutual understanding and will start working together," Kremlev told Reuters.

"AIBA is not what it was. It is already different. It has reformed. There are strong reforms taking place."

It was announced yesterday that this summer's Games are postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak and will take place no later than the summer of 2021.

Kremlev also hit out at the IOC's decision to go ahead with the European qualification tournament in London which ended prematurely as fears grew over the outbreak of the disease.

The tournament was halted over a week ago and less than 24 hours after it went behind closed doors at the Copper Box Arena.

"What happened is of course a very bad situation for athletes," he said.

"They had prepared, went to the competition and then the tournament was stopped. It was ridiculous to even begin this tournament."

Belfast flyweight and team captain Brendan Irvine was the only Irish boxer to seal qualification before the tournament was called off.

A new date is yet to be announced.

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AIBA Olympic Games Thomas Bach Tokyo 2020