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CONFIRMED: Vladimir Nikitin pulls out of semi-final

Those duties will be handled for the tournament’s final four days by Franco Falcinelli, a vice president of the executive board and the president of the European Boxing Confederation. The Olympic Games represent the pinnacle of all sports and boxing has been part of this since 1904.

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AIBA had said on Wednesday that it had reviewed all decisions in 239 bouts to date and found “less than a handful” were not at the level expected.

AIBA said it would protect the reputation of the sport and of its referees and judges “whose integrity is constantly put into question”, and would not be deterred “by subjective judgements made by discontented parties”.

Former Irish boxing judge Kelly told the Guardian newspaper that he had previously been asked to cheat by indicating who was winning during the fight.

Russia’s Vladimir Nikitin, left, reacts as he won a men’s bantamweight 56-kg quarterfinals boxing match against Ireland’s Michael John Conlan at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016. Nikitin still received the decision in a hard-fought bout, prompting an outraged Conlan to denounce AIBA and Russian Federation as conspirators in corruption. While the Russian secured the win on a unanimous 3-0 decision most observers felt that Levit had won the fight.

First, what we know: The 19-year-old Newark native is scheduled to face Russian boxer Vladimir Nikitin in the semifinal round at 1:30 p.m. ET on Thursday.

The biggest culprit may have been the decision in the gold medal heavyweight fight between Russia’s Evgeny Tishchenko and Kazakhstan’s Vassily Levit.

The judges in that contentious bout were Jones Kennedy Silva Do Rosario, Udeni Talik Bandara Kiridena and Mariusz Gorny. “You can just say it was a bad decision”. None of the decisions will be overturned, AIBA said. The latest twist came on another fraught day in Rio, after Olympic Council of Ireland Pat Hickey was arrested for alleged ticket touting. They also expressed relief that the issue of inadequate judging was being addressed, although they dismissed the accusations of corruption.

Team USA coach Billy Walsh said Stevenson would receive a walkover, it has been reported. “Anybody can make a mistake, but it’s happened too often”. “I think the International Olympic Committee need to have a look at boxing in the Olympics and wonder should it even be in Tokyo”. Conlan blasted AIBA afterward, giving the judges the finger in the ring and later alleging corruption. It just matters out of those five judges which ones they pick.

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Traditionally, judges would use a computer scoring system to count each punch.

Aug 16 2016 Rio de Janeiro Brazil Tsendbaatar Erdenebat fights Shakur Stevenson in a men's bantamweight quarterfinal bout at Riocentro- Pavilion 6 during the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Mandatory Credit Jason Getz-USA