Correcting the ‘ill-informed’ Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Secretary-General Rajeev Mehta on the approval given to Boxing India (The Bout Outside the Ring) as the new National federation, the International Boxing Association (AIBA) on Thursday said that it always had the backing of IOA.
Various media reports had recently quoted Mehta as saying that the AIBA did not inform the IOA about the provisional approval given to the new body. The apex boxing body rejected such reports, saying, “AIBA would like to correct ill-informed comments made by the IOA Secretary-General Rajeev Mehta following the approval of Boxing India as provisional new AIBA member.
“AIBA President Dr. Ching-Kuo Wu and the IOA President, N. Ramachandran, met in Lausanne to discuss issues related to boxing in India. AIBA received full support from the IOA with regards to the selection of the new AIBA member for India,” said AIBA in a statement.
The AIBA claimed that prior to giving approval to Boxing India it had apprised the IOA of its decision. “Further to this agreement, AIBA immediately informed the IOA of the AIBA Executive Committee decision of May 14 to accept Boxing India as the new National federation.”
