Give And Go
By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
If you happened to be a fan of amateur boxing in the Olympics, there is a possibility that you will be left disappointed in the next Summer Games in 2020 in Tokyo, Japan, if the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) concerns over it are not addressed and decides to push through to scrap the event altogether.
Following executive board meetings in PyeongChang, South Korea, ahead of the Winter Games later week, it has been reported that the IOC expressed dissatisfaction with the Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA) over, among other things, the governing body’s “financial management and questionable choice for leadership.”
So concerned was the IOC that it was said that it is ready to make bold decisions regarding the issue, including the possibility of scrapping amateur boxing in the Tokyo Games.
The issue touches on how AIBA finances are being handled, the naming of Gafur Rakhimov as AIBA’s interim president as well as concerns over judging in the 2016 Rio Olympics, including in medal matches.
After the meetings, it has been reported that the IOC “is extremely worried about the governance in AIBA” and it wants everything in order.
In relation to this, the IOC suspended funding for the AIBA until it could prove it had tightened up its governance.
For its part, AIBA downplayed the possibility of amateur boxing not being part of the Tokyo Games, saying it is confident that it can satisfy the concerns of the Olympic body by working together with the IOC to improve that handling of its affairs.
It went on to say that it has started undertaking reforms to correct its ship moving forward.
The AIBA is expected to present further report by the end of April.
Now in the event that IOC’s plans to scrap boxing in the Olympics are consummated then it is definitely bad news for countries like the Philippines.
As things stand, we are already hard-pressed to win our first Olympic gold medal with boxing part of the program, what more if it is removed.
Of all the disciplines that the country is competing in at the Olympics, boxing undeniably has shown a wider window for us to win medals.
To date, the Philippines has won a total of five Olympic medals care of boxing — two silver and three bronze medals.
The silver medals were from featherweight Anthony Villanueva (1964) and light flyweight Mansueto Velasco (1996).
Bronze medals, meanwhile, were won by bantamweight Jose Villanueva (1932), light flyweight Leopoldo Serantes (1988) and light flyweight Roel Velasco (1992).
Taking away boxing would make it harder for the Philippines to finally break through for gold.
Of course, by saying this it does not mean that other athletes of ours do not have a chance outright but considering the track record we have in the Olympics one cannot be blamed for feeling as such.
Whether boxing is in or out in the Olympics in 2020 remains to be seen. But hopefully those concerned, particularly AIBA, get their act together lest they find things too late to remedy. Here’s hoping for the best.
Michael Angelo S. Murillo has been a columnist since 2003. He is a BusinessWorld reporter covering the Sports beat.
