MUMBAI: Indian International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Randhir Singh is confident the world amateur boxing federation (AIBA) will soon lift its ban on the country’s pugilists, the official said yesterday.
The AIBA suspended the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) in early December for “possible manipulation” of its elections, in the wake of a wider Olympic ban that has sent shockwaves through sport in the South Asian country.
Randhir, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) secretary general during the previous regime, said he asked AIBA chief Wu Ching-kuo to lift the ban on the country’s boxers when he spoke to the Taiwanese official yesterday.
“I spoke to Wu and told him that the boxers should not be made to suffer for no fault of theirs,” Randhir said by phone.
“I will be sending an official letter today. I am very hopeful that AIBA will lift the ban on the players and let them participate.
“I have my fingers crossed.” The IOA was kicked out of the Olympic family for allowing government interference in its Dec. 5 elections, which also saw a tainted official being elected to a key post.
Vijender Singh, whose middleweight bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics helped raise boxing’s profile in India, was glad to hear news of a development.
“That’s great news, all our boxers will be very happy. I have always said that the boxers should not be penalised,” Vijender said.
“We never stopped training, hoping there will be some solution some day.”
Meanwhile, eight-time world champion Floyd Mayweather has left HBO in favor of a 30-month, six-fight deal with Showtime and its parent company CBS in what is being called the richest pact in boxing history.
Financial terms of the deal between the undefeated boxer and Showtime/CBS, announced yesterday in a statement by Mayweather Promotions, were not disclosed. In making the announcement, Mayweather also confirmed a May 4 fight with Robert Guerrero which will mark the fighter’s Showtime debut.
Widely recognized as boxing’s top pound-for-pound fighter, Mayweather (43-0, 26 KOs) has been a part of boxing’s four biggest non-heavyweight pay-per-view events.
The 35-year-old fighter was listed as the highest paid athlete in 2012 by Forbes after earning $85m. AGENCIES
