LAUSANNE – The International Boxing Association (IBA) has suspended the Czech Boxing Association (ČBA) for allowing boxers from the United States who left the IBA to compete at the recent Grand Prix in Ústí nad Labem.
The controversial association today also suspended the national associations of New Zealand, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden, which joined the new rival organization World Boxing, founded in April.
The IBA said on its website that boxers and officials from suspended federations can continue to participate in events with flags and anthems but without union symbols.
The head of IBA is Russian businessman Umar Kremlyev, who has a close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. IBA allows the boxers of Russia and Belarus, despite the invasion of Ukraine, to compete in their events under the national flags. Some countries, including the USA and the Czech Republic, therefore boycotted this year’s world championships, and the Americans withdrew from the IBA at the end of April and initiated the establishment of a new organization.
The CBA faced pressure due to the start of the USA boxers in Ústí nad Labem already during the Grand Prix at the beginning of May. Due to threats of sanctions from the IBA, expeditions from France, Poland and Brazil withdrew early from the 53rd edition.
The IBA filed a complaint against all the participating countries in Ústí nad Labem to the Independent Boxing Integrity Unit (BIIU) because they ignored communication with it. The head of the Czech association, Marek Šimák, told the iDNES.cz server that he expected sanctions to come. “We are not surprised by what is happening around the Grand Prix, something like this was brewing. We are ready for it and will discuss with the lawyers what to do next.” he said.
The International Federation has set several conditions for suspended unions to have their punishment lifted. In the case of CBA, it is an official apology and a promise to respect the IBA rules. Furthermore, a guarantee that only boxers from member countries will participate in its events, and that they will not commit a similar offense in the next six months.
Due to the management of amateur boxing, the IBA has been the target of criticism by the International Olympic Committee for many years, and the traditional sport is threatened with exclusion from the program under the five rings. Boxing still has a place for the Paris 2024 Games, but after that its future is unclear.
- Author: © List
- Source: CTK
2023-05-22 20:31:51
#association #led #Russian #businessman #distinguished #Czechs #won
