Professional Boxers at the Olympics – A Dangerous Gamble

A IBA (L’Association Internationale de Boxe Amateur) is accredited as an International Sports Federation (ISF)

by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to govern boxing at the Olympic Games and all of its qualifying events and tournaments. International Sports Federations are international non-governmental organizations recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as administering one or more sports at world level. While conserving their independence and autonomy in the administration of their sports, International Sports Federations are required to ensure that their statutes, practice and activities conform to the Olympic Charter.

All countries wishing to have their boxers participate in the Olympics and Olympic qualifying events must necessarily have their local national amateur federations affiliated to AIBA. They must conform to AIBA’s rules and regulations. The Guyana Amateur Boxing Association is no exception.

The AIBA had recently instructed all national associations to effect changes to their names to delete the word ‘amateur’. Indeed Guyana like every other country, unable to resist the dictates by AIBA for fear of being unlisted and unable to attend Olympic qualifier games had no choice but to acquiesce. The Guyana Amateur Boxing Association was directed to change its name to the Guyana Boxing Association.

The latest bombshell on allowing professional boxers into the Olympics has now been announced by AIBA. An example of this is the announced willingness of world champions, Manny Pacquiao and Wladimir Klitschko to accept the invitation of Dr. Ching-Kuo-Wu (President of AIBA) to participate in Rio with the special privilege of not having to compete in the preliminary rounds.

Should this happen and Dr. Wu is able to push through his ill-advised plan, the young and relatively immature amateur youths in the 147 lbs welterweight category can well find themselves facing the enormous experience and power of Pacquiao.

None of these amateur fighters would ever have faced anything like the enormous, explosive power of a Pacquiao. What AIBA President, Dr. Wu proposes for the Olympics, breaches all good sense and risks the health and wellbeing of our young fighters presumably only for their apparent dream of controlling all boxing and particularly the profits associated with professional boxing.

The WBC’s (World Boxing Council) reaction has been immediate. Its President Mauricio Sulaiman has announced formally that any WBC champion or boxers ranked in the top 15 of the WBC who fights in the Olympic games will be immediately banned from the WBC and stripped of their Titles.

The Guyana Boxing Board of Control strongly rejects AIBA’s proposal and call on the National Sports Commission and our Government to monitor this development.

The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) is very much aware that the final AIBA executive meeting for voting in ratification of this travesty is to take place next week. President of GBA, Steve Ninvalle will have a vote at that meeting. One can only hope that he does not vote in favour of extinguishing the Olympic hopes, dreams and aspirations of young fighters all over the world including Guyana who cannot hope to compete against seasoned professional fighters including World Champions in bouts that will certainly have the potential to damage them for the rest of their lives.