International Boxing Association (AIBA) and Mr Ching-Kuo Wu announced today that they have amicably agreed to resolve the management issues within AIBA and to withdraw and terminate all related pending procedures before civil courts and AIBA Disciplinary Commission. Both parties agreed that at this stage there is no indication of any unethical behaviour by either […]
via Ching-Kuo Wu Steps Down As AIBA President… — newfanzoneblog
Following the Swiss Court’s ruling on Monday 25 September that confirmed Dr Ching-Kuo Wu’s leadership of the organisation and refused to recognise the so-called IMC and its demands, the AIBA President looks to draw a line under the recent confusion and move forward alongside the 202 member National Federations for the good of boxing and […]
via AIBA President Speaks From Lausanne For The First Time Since Positive Court Ruling — newfanzoneblog
AIBA signs MOU with the ISF to develop School Sports and education of young people through the positive values of boxing On the eve of the 29th Summer Universiade, AIBA and the International School Sport Federation (ISF) have today signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in Taipei, committing to the joint exploration of boxing as […]
via AIBA signs MOU with the ISF to develop School Sports and education… — newfanzoneblog
Twenty of the best boxers in the world gathered on Friday morning in Astana for the WSB Season VII Weigh-In, with the Astana Arlans Kazakhstan and Cuba Domadores teams both going for a historic third title on Saturday afternoon. The intensity was palpable and the mind-games began early as the Kazakh and Cuban athletes faced-off […]
Following the IOC’s recent investigation into violations of the Olympic Code by three boxers during Rio 2016, AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu has underlined his support for the Disciplinary Commission’s findings with the development of a new educational programme for National Federations and their boxers. “AIBA has always been acutely aware of its responsibilities to […]
via AIBA Fully Endorses IOC Ethics Programme Findings — newfanzoneblog
Vargas, Venezuela, has been the home of the first APB/WSB Olympic Qualification Event open to all pro boxers since the change in AIBA statute ratified at the Extraordinary Congress held on 1 June in Lausanne. It was also the occasion for AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu to welcome WBA President Gilberto Jésus Mendoza to the […]
In the midst of the APB/WSB Olympic Qualification Tournament, AIBA and the Venezuelan Boxing Federation organised a donation of essential training equipment to local boxing clubs under the Headsup! initiative. Accompanied by their coaches, dozens of young boys and girls attended the event in the presence of AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu, Venezuelan Boxing Federation […]
via AIBA President Donates Boxing Equipments To Gyms In Vargas, Venezuela — newfanzoneblog
HeadsUp campaign making an impact in Africa and Americas as continents boxers pursue Olympic quota places in Cameroon and Argentina
Launched in 2015, AIBA’s HeadsUp campaign is dedicated to the physical and professional wellbeing of its boxers, developing and sustaining their careers from grassroots academies to elite-level competition and into retirement. Following the respective commitment of the European Boxing Confederation and Asian Boxing Confederation, AIBA underlines his commitment to ensuring a full roll out of the HeadsUp programme the world over with the signing off the Charter by two major Confederations representing more than 100 National Federations.
“Working closely with our confederations to help implement initiatives like HeadsUp and continue to develop our sport is central to AIBA’s role as boxing’s governing body. We have the best boxers in Africa and Americas competing for places at the 2016 Olympics, the first Games since 1984 not to feature headguards. The roll out of HeadsUp in these two continents demonstrate our purpose to propose a real pathway for all boxers and coaches from grass roots level to elite competition on and off the ring,” said AIBA President Ching-Kuo Wu.
The HeadsUp charter has been signed by African Confederation President Kelani Bayor and Americas Confederation President Osvaldo Bisbal respectively, the first fruits of which have already been received with the donation of essential training equipment to National Boxing Federations courtesy of Sting Sports.
“We look forward to working alongside AIBA to give the HeadsUp campaign the coverage it deserves so that it can have the impact that it needs to really make a difference throughout the continent and at every level of the boxing community. This is just the beginning of a new and exciting phase for our sport in Africa,” said Mr Bayor.
“On the behalf of Americas I’m very proud to engage all our National Federations behind this initiative which is paramount for the development of our sport. The popularity of boxing is definitely growing in our continent and the deployment of the HeadsUp campaign couple of months before the Olympic Games is a testament to this” added Osvaldo Bisbal.
The American Olympic Qualification Event get underway in ten days time, with a record number of 241 boxers from 34 countries registered for the tournament in Buenos Aires from 11-19 March in Predio Ferial la Rural de Palermo venue. In all, 25 men’s and 5 women’s quota places for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games will be confirmed at the end of 11 days of boxing in the Argentina’s capital.
“It is moments like these for our boxers that bring their years of dedication and training into focus. The Olympic dream is a unique driving force for athletes and with 60 places at Rio 2016 already taken up, there is no doubt that the race for the remaining spots between so many brilliant athletes from this famous boxing continent will be thrilling”, said AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu.
Top US women’s boxer Claressa Shields has won all of her major competitions since the London 2012 Olympic Games, and the reigning Olympic, AIBA Women’s World, American Confederation and Pan-American Champion now has her sights firmly set on Rio 2016, along with Canada’s Pan-American Games winners Mandy Bujold and Caroline Veyre.
With six boxers already confirmed for Rio, Cuba’s men’s team will only have four representatives in Buenos Aires, all of them stars of the Domadores WSB franchise: reigning Olympic champions Roniel Iglesias and Robeisy Ramirez, Erislandy Savon and Leinier Pero.
There is great expectation on the shoulders of rising US stars Shakur Stevenson and Antonio Vargas, while the Argentine fans will want to get behind their medal hopes Yamil Peralta, Alberto Palmetta and APB star Alberto Melian. WSB stars Yoel Finol of Venezuela and Carlos Andres Mina from Ecuador will also be among the favourites to qualify, while Costa Rica pins its hopes on flyweight David Alejandro Jimenez, the first boxer from the country ever to win a medal at the AIBA World Championships.
“The strength of the field in Buenos Aires speaks volumes about the quality of boxing on our continent as we go into this important Olympic year. There are potential gold medal winners in every squad, but it is a long journey to becoming Olympic champion with a lot of bouts to win, starting here in ten days’ time”, said American Confederation President Osvaldo Rafael Bisbal.
In the light of AIBA’s exhaustive medical research following the decision to remove headguards for men at the 2013 World Championships, the International Olympic Committee Executive Board has agreed to the removal of headguards in the men’s competition for Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
The IOC has officially taken note of the technical decision of AIBA to remove the headguards for male competitions at the Olympic Games. It has also confirmed that the technical rules of the competitions fall under the remit of each International Federation. The IOC Executive Board has been following AIBA’s recommendation meaning that the men’s competition will be organised without headguards for the first time since Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games.
“We are profoundly pleased that there will be no headguard for male boxers in Rio. It is something that has been expected by our boxers and by the boxing fans the world over. Since our very first conversations with athletes and medical staff on the issue we have been investigating the possibility of removing headguards and both our statistical research, and the feedback from boxers and coaches, shows us that this is the best outcome for our sport. It is undoubtedly a great achievement for AIBA to present our boxers without headguards at the next Olympic Games, the most important sporting event“ added AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu.
AIBA’s research into a change in the rules has centred around the 2013 World Championships in Almaty, the first in 30 years where the boxers were without headguards. The Association’s Medical Commission has studied more than 11,000 bouts in major boxing competitions and the number of concussions showed a significant drop of 43% from 2013 to 2015. At last year’s World Championships in Doha, no concussions were recorded.
As part of AIBA’s commitment to put boxers first, the HeadsUp campaign was launched in 2015 in particular to encourage the boxers to adopt a better stance, a more upright style in the ring. The initiative also focuses on protecting and extending the career paths of boxers in and out of the ring in all corners of the globe.
The AIBA African Olympic Qualification Event takes to the Cameroon capital city of Yaoundé between 11-19 March, with the continent’s best male and female boxers in hot pursuit of the 30 men’s and 6 women’s places at Rio 2016 on offer. A record number of 272 boxers from 39 countries have registered for the event that comes with just five months to go until the start of the Games.
“The African continent’s boxers continue to show their prowess and strenghth at AIBA Boxing events, as highlighted by Morocco’s Mohammed Rabii who was crowned 1st African AIBA World Champion in Doha in 2015. With a record number of entries and 36 spots available to the men and women in Yaoundé, this tournament is a key route to Rio 2016 Olympic Games and I am looking forward to an intense competition for the coveted places”, said AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu.
2015 WSB Boxer of the Year award winner Rabii and four further athletes from the continent have already qualified, leaving the door open for the best boxers from the 39 nations to join them on the plane to Rio. The APB boxer Mohamed Arjaoui and Mohammed Rabii’s younger brother Hamza represent Morocco’s strongest chances of qualifying, while Algeria’s World Championship silver medalist Mohamed Flissi and two-time Olympian Abdelhafid Benchabla will also be among the favourites to book their Olympic places.
Hosts Cameroon have high hopes for young star Wilfried Dieudonne Seyi Ntsengue while Tunisia, Egypt and Nigeria all have experienced boxers going for gold. Among the women’s favourites will be Algeria’s brilliant young flyweight Souhila Bouchene and Nigeria’s All Africa Games champion Edith Agu Ogoke.
“This is a hugely important competition for these boxers and the pressure will be enormous. So many elements need to come together to make it to an Olympic Games, and the success stories will be those athletes who have prepared well and can cope with that pressure. I’m confident we will experience a memorable tournament in a country which has a long boxing tradition with passionate fans ready to support the best boxers on the continent”, said the African Confederation President Kelani Bayor.
AIBA president Dr Ching-Kuo Wu has revealed that the boxing governing body is planning to have professional boxers compete at the forthcoming Rio 2016 boxing event.
Ching-Kuo Wu took over as president in 2006 and has been instrumental to several reforms in the sport. Some of the reforms championed by Wu includes the removal of vest from AIBA endorsed or organised men’s boxing events.
He also ensured that the word “amateur” was removed from its title. Under Wu’s Leadership AIBA started the AIBA Pro Boxing Scheme APB and the World Series Of Boxing.
And In 2013 it was decided that Pro boxers with less than 15 fights to go to the Olympics.
Now in the year of AIBA’s 70th Anniversary the body wants pro boxers to be eligible to fight at the Olympic games in Rio, according to Dr Wu “It is an IOC policy to have the best athletes in the Games, and of the international federations, AIBA is probably the only one without professional athletes in the Olympics.”
If the decision to eventually allow Pro Boxers at the Olympic games is ratified by the executive council of AIBA some very popular Pro boxers might just become the main attraction in Rio, but it doesn’t seem like everybody in the boxing fraternity is all for the idea.
Commonwealth Games gold medalist and Former world champion Barry McGuigan is of the opinion that whole idea is a “publicity stunt” stating that the plan to have professional boxers take part in Rio is “crazy”.
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