Call to replace AIBA with WBA in Tokyo 2020 Olympic

Former world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko has stated that World Boxing Association (WBA) should replace the International Boxing Association (AIBA) as the boxing Tournament organizing body at the Olympic Games.

Earlier, AIBA Congress in Moscow have received a threatened from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) regarding Gafur Rakhimov’s election as AIBA President on a permanent basis puts boxing’s place at Tokyo 2020 in serious jeopardy.

IOC have considered the serious option to suspend AIBA and establish a temporary governing body to oversee boxing at Tokyo 2020, including organising the qualifying for tournaments.

Klitschko, the super heavyweight gold medallist at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and world heavyweight titles bearer as a professional from April 2006 until November 2015, has now expressed his wish to see the WBA step in.

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“For the first time ever in boxing, the worst had happened, We need a combined effort to protect life-changing dreams of athletes who want to participate in the upcoming Olympic Games, In an unprecedented shift that would rock athletics and the Olympics, boxing is in danger of being halted due to current dysfunction leading to losing the Olympic licence.I’m pleading with the national federations to continue signing with the pioneers of boxing, the world-renowned WBA.I’m also asking the IOC to consider the WBA as the organisation that will centralise the sport, while continuing to improve the protections and interests of its athletes and fans, and grant the Olympic licence to the WBA to represent the sport for the upcoming Games in Tokyo.”

Konakbayev, meanwhile, is considered a potential candidate for a role in any breakaway group from AIBA.

AIBA has been in a peek period since Taiwan’s CK Wu stepped down as President last December following allegations of mis-management.

Italy’s Franco Falcinelli took charge on an interim basis but relinquished the role in January and was replaced by Rakhimov.

The Uzbek has claimed that AIBA was on the edge of bankruptcy until he took over as Interim President 10 months ago.

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