BOXING IS AGAIN IN DANGER OF BEING EXCLUDED FROM THE 2020 TOKYO OLYMPICS
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 06 Sep 2018
The International Boxing Association (AIBA) is again in danger of being phased out from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the boxing bouts in the recently concluded Jakarta Asian Games were blemished by controversies.
Two North Korean coaches were removed by police and ousted from the Games after their lady fighter lost a disputed split decision to a Chinese. Coach Pak Chol Jun refused to leave the ring and instigated boxer Pang Chol Mi to remain behind in protest against the verdict after Chang Yuan won the gold via a 3-2 split decision. Another coach, Pak Il Nam, got into an angry tumult outside the ring as he incited the crowd to ridicule the decision.
"We are going to change the culture in AIBA," said executive director Tom Virgets.
During the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, Indian lightweight boxer Laishram Sarita Devire lost a very controversial semi-final bout against eventual silver medalist Park Jina of South Korea. In protest, Devire at first took her bronze medal but placed it around Park's neck during the awarding ceremony.
Also in Incheon, Mongolian boxer Nyambayaryn T?gstsogt lost another controversial decision against South Korean Ham Sang-myeong in the bantamweight category. Nyambayar remained in the ring for 5 minutes, protesting the verdict as the referees and judges were booed by the crowd.
Virgets admitted that AIBA has some issues on the competence of its referees and judges. He said that their incumbent president Gafur Rakhimov is very committed in improving the training procedure of the AIBA officials.
Amid several disagreements at AIBA, Taiwanese president CK Wu was ousted and replaced by Rakhimov of Uzbekistan as interim president. He instituted internal reforms at AIBA and submitted it to the IOC, but Bach said "the report shows some progress and goodwill but still lacks execution and substance in some areas."
Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) sectetary general Ed Picson told AFP "the clock is ticking" and he thinks the IOC would be justified to pull boxing out of the Olympics unless certain drastic measures are applied.
Picson questioned some decisions against Rogen Ladon losing to Jasurbek Latipov of Uzbekistan in the finals and Nesty Petecio who was defeated by China's Yin Junhua in the round of 16.
Boxing has been contested at every Olympic Games since its introduction at the 1904 Olympics, except for the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, because Swedish law banned the sport during the time.
And it's a sad thing for us boxing fans not to witness any boxing competition at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics if the ban pushes through.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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