Multiple fights have been judged suspiciously, and there is a prevailing sentiment that not everything is on the up and up. AIBA responded by reviewing the questionable matches and then booting quite a few of the boxing judges and referees, no doubt hoping their action will suppress some of the anger now swirling around Rio Olympic boxing.
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Deadspin published a portion of the official AIBA statement dealing with the booting of the judges.
“AIBA will not shy away from its responsibilities and is fully committed…”
The Amateur International Boxing Association, AIBA, have released a statement in the wake of corruption and cheating allegations made towards the organisation at the Rio Olympics.
“Since the beginning of the Olympic Games, AIBA has conducted 239 bouts”. Five judges score each bout with a computer randomly selecting which scorecards will count. Heavyweight boxer Vassiliy Levit from Kazakhstan settled for a silver medal, and fans booed Russian fighter Evgeny Tishchenko during the medal ceremony.
Russia’s Vladimir Nikitin was clearly beaten by Ireland’s Michael Conlan, and Gary Russel of the U.S. lost a split decision to Uzbekistan’s Fazliddin Gaibnazarov, which prompted former Pound 4 Pound champion Floyd Mayweather to declare a robbery.
AIBA’s statement will provide little consolation to Conlan and it is not know if the judges who have been sent home were involved in his bout.
Ireland’s Michael Gallagher was one of the ringside judges for the heavyweight final bout.
Conlan wasn’t the only boxer to lose in a controversial decision, though.
Irish world champion bantamweight Michael Conlan went on an expletive-laden rant on live television after losing to Russian Vladimir Nikitin and told reporters he would never fight again in any AIBA-organised competition.
The Irishman appeared to have dominated the fight, leaving his opponent bloodied and bruised, but the judges gave Nikitin a unanimous victory. “It is essential AIBA stands to the values of respect, sportsmanship, excellence and remains committed to a fair and transparent sport”.
Nikitin is declared victor over Conlan in 2016 Olympic boxing match. [Photo by Jae C. Hong/AP Images]The New York Times spoke with several United States boxing coaches at the Rio boxing venue on Wednesday and reports that the prevailing view is the booted boxing judges were not corrupt, but had perhaps not been trained to the level necessary to judge such important matches.
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The rule change effectively means boxing has gone from a position of strength in the Olympic programme to the sport which, more than any other, is bereft of the most available big names.
