IOC President Jacques Rogge.
In the face of criticism from several professional boxing organizations on a plan by the International Amateur Boxing Association to allow pro boxers to compete in the Olympic Games beginning in Brazil in 2016, the IOC reveals that AIBA will have to present its eligibility conditions for approval.
In response to a query from the Manila Standard on the furor raised over AIBA president Dr. Ching-Kuo Wu?s and executive director Ho Kim?s plan to allow professional boxers to compete in the Olympics and the strong position voiced by the World Boxing Council headed by its president Don Jose Sulaiman asking IOC president Rogge to stop the plans of the AIBA, the ICO Media Relations Team said ?As far as the IOC is concerned, AIBA is fully independent as outlined in the Olympic Charter. But they will have to present their new eligibility conditions prior to Rio 2016, just as they did prior to London 2012 with regard to the participation of WSB boxers.?
Despite WBC president Sulaiman?s insistence that the IOC did not respond to his letter to president Rogge, the IOC claimed they ?responded to the WBC on 12 April and we have no further comment on the matter.?
In the meantime, the latest influential organization to take a stand against the plan to include pro boxers in the Olympics is the British Boxing Board of Control following a recent monthly meeting on June 12 in Cardiff.
In a statement the British Boxing Board of Control said ?The Stewards/Directors of the British Boxing Board of Control decided to support the World Boxing Council and the European Boxing Union in protesting against the proposal of AIBA to admit Professional Boxing into the Olympic Games, to the possible detriment of Amateur Boxing, worldwide.?
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