AIBA Launches New Program to Promote Diversity in Boxing

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, March 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) has launched a new Diversity in Boxing programme for all of its 203 National Federations. This will be the first in a range of initiatives to be presented by the new interim administration that took office in January this year.

AIBA Interim President Gafur Rahimov said: "At our Extraordinary Congress in January we heard a call for change from basically all of our National Federations - urgent and radical change. My colleagues in the Executive Committee and I have listened carefully and decided to move forward both quickly and forcefully with a focus on areas such as good governance, organisational ethics and diversity."

Financed by an AIBA sponsor, the Diversity in Boxing programme will make 1 million Swiss Francs available each year for use by AIBA's National Federations in various projects via the AIBA Confederations. For the first year, this support will be increased to 1.2 million Swiss Francs to secure an effective takeoff.

Starting from April, all National Boxing Federations in AIBA can apply for funding by submitting the applications to the AIBA Confederation who will review and make the final decisions to accept the applications. The programme will mainly support initiatives focused on good governance and organisational ethics programmes in the National Federations, as well as youth and women's boxing initiatives.

"I am fully aware that AIBA urgently needs to improve on many fronts, and all AIBA National Federations can rest assured that my colleagues and I are fully committed to achieve this improvement, in every aspect of our organisation and our sport," said Rahimov. "We have many things to do and little time to do it, and that's when leadership must deliver."

All financial support will be closely monitored by AIBA with full disclosure of all allocations combined with detailed reporting systems.

The new team in charge of the boxing federation have planned a series of initiatives to expand the sport of boxing worldwide and to develop more athletes to the top level. This is expected to make all continents equally strong in boxing by developing well-balanced programmes in as many countries as possible.