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AIBA failure to reach quorum at Executive Committee meeting

Crucial reforms to the statutes of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) have stalled after an Executive Committee meeting in China today failed to reach a quorum because of a shortage of members attending.

Members were due to vote on an overhaul of AIBA’s statutes and on an Extraordinary Congress, due to be held in March, at the crunch meeting in Xiamen.

But insidethegames understands there were not enough members present to convene the meeting, an embarrassment for an organisation which is desperately trying to regain its recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

It is also set to delay a process considered vital if AIBA is to be reinstated in time to organise the boxing tournament at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

The failure to reach a quorum could force AIBA – stripped of its status as the Olympic governing body for the sport after an IOC investigation uncovered severe issues with its finances, governance and refereeing and judging – to delay its Extraordinary Congress, where a Presidential election and a vote on statute changes is set to be held.

It further adds to the uncertainty surrounding the future direction of the embattled governing body, which has to elect a new permanent President before March 29 under its current statutes.

An election must be staged no later than 365 days after the appointment of the Interim President.

Mohamed Moustahsane, who reversed a decision to step down from the position in September and will continue through to the planned March election, became Interim President on March 29 this year.

Russian Umar Kremlev, right, presented a series of proposals from the AIBA Marketing Commission ©WBO
Russian Umar Kremlev, right, presented a series of proposals from the AIBA Marketing Commission ©WBO
Under AIBA’s statutes, 15 of the 28 Executive Committee members need to be present to convene a meeting, but insidethegames understands there amount of members attendance in the Chinese city fell short of that number.

Decisions considered today will be put to a mail vote, although insidethegames has been told some members are keen to have a face-to-face meeting to discuss them further owing to a lack of consensus regarding the statute changes.

Executive Committee Members were also due to consider a range of proposals from its recently-formed Marketing Commission, led by Russian Umar Kremlev.

The Russian Boxing Federation secretary-general claims sporting goods company Green Hill is prepared to sign a five-year contract with AIBA worth $2 million (£1.5 million/€1.8 million).

The Commission supported a proposal from Kremlev – who offered to personally wipe out AIBA’s $16 million (£12 million/€14 million) debt, a proposition highlighted as a concern by the IOC – to hold a series of continental forums next year.

The forums would feature courses for coaches, referees and judges, medical courses, anti-doping seminars and direct communication with National Federation officials.

It would be a “platform to discuss actual issues”, according to Kremlev.

Forums have been pencilled in for Panama, Italy and China, with the location of the Asian and Oceanian event yet to be confirmed.

These events have also been thrown into doubt by the failure to reach a quorum, however, as staging the forums requires final approval from the Executive Committee.

A report prepared by Kremlev for the meeting also claimed 55 countries have the facilities to host the AIBA Men’s and Women’s World Championships.