IOC threatens to oust boxing from 2020 games
The International Olympic Committee has threatened to axe boxing from the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Games. This comes after the IOC opened an investigation into the sports governing body, The International Boxing Association (AIBA) as it fears that a dark cloud of match-fixing lingers over the body. IOC even has concerns about the results of boxing games at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
Boxing is one of the most important and core sports at the Olympics. It has been contested at every edition, except during the games in Stockholm in 1912. At that time, Sweden had put a ban on the sport.
The International Boxing Association's financial payments and contracts have now been frozen by the IOC's executive board. This comes after AIBA's interim president was named a leading criminal by the US Treasury Department. IOC is not satisfied with the governance of the AIBA, especially regarding the refereeing and anti-doping issues and further demanded a report by April 30.
"The IOC reserves the right to review the inclusion of boxing on the programme of the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 and the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020," the IOC said in its statement.
AIBA's interim president, Gafur Rakhimov has been named one of Uzbekistan's leading criminals and his assets have been frozen following links to heroin trade. IOC President, Thomas Bach has also asked the boxing body to provide more information regarding the match-fixing accusations. A group of officials were sent back from the Rio games following a number of controversial decisions.
"This decision is extremely disappointing for AIBA as it hoped the IOC Executive Board would have understood that the processes necessary to implement even more measures require more time," AIBA said.
