DOHA (Qatar): European Boxing Confederation (EUBC) vice-president Umar Kremlev, who is contesting for Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA) president election, has promised to eradicate corruption in the sport that has put AIBA in a spot of bother in recent years.
The election, which will feature seven candidates, is scheduled at a virtual AIBA Congress on December 12-13.
AIBA, that represents amateur boxing worldwide and has a long history stretching back to 1946, has been without an elected president since Uzbek businessman Gafur Rakhimov stepped down in March 2019 over alleged accusations of his ties to “criminal activities” in Central Asia.
Since he stepped down, AIBA has been led by interim President Mohamed Moustahsane of Morocco.
The IOC suspended AIBA in June 2019, meaning Tokyo 2020 will be the first time since AIBA was founded that it will not organise boxing at the Olympic Games.
Kremlev, who is also a AIBA Executive Committee member, called for unity and reforms. He also presented his manifesto, with plans to pay off the millions of dollars in debt accumulated by AIBA under previous administrations.
Khel Updates spoke to him in an exclusive interview to understand his plan on AIBA’s future roadmap.
Excerpts:
What’s your plan on developing boxing in the Arab world?
I would like to say that I would like to make AIBA that will work in the interests of all national federations (NF), coaches and athletes. I would like to create a transparent organization without any debt but with substantial financial resources to help the national federations. I’m going to resolve the several issues that AIBA may have faced in the last couple of years. We want to make AIBA more active in the field of supporting the national federations and all stake holders.
We are going to make a detailed analysis for all federations. AIBA will provide them with an individual approach because we want to develop boxing in their countries.
Women boxers are very few in the Arab world. Is there any plan to develop the sport for women?
Yes, I have plans to provide the assistance for the development of the women’s boxing in the Arab countries. But at the same time, we would like to cooperate with the local authorities so that we don’t hurt their traditional values. We want to develop boxing and will communicate with the Arab federations on how to engage women more in boxing.
Is there any special plan for Asia on your agenda?
We have plans to develop boxing in smaller and promising countries not only in Asia but all the continents including Africa. As far as Asia is concerned, we’re planning to make boxing the most popular sports in each country. My mission is to try to visit each country in the world to communicate and have individual meetings with the local authorities to realize and understand how boxing can be developed.
Qatar has had hosted the 2015 AIBA World Championships. Are we going to see another major boxing event in Doha?
Of course, we are planning to make almost each country to host international events such as continental championships or worlds championships. If a national federation feels they’re ready to host a championship, then our main task will be to help them organize the competition.
AIBA got into controversies in the previous Olympic Games in Rio. How do you plan to eradicate corruption from the sport?
I’m going to help AIBA cover all its debts and make it a transparent organization. No one can deny that boxing is the most popular sports in the world. We’re going to make AIBA the most transparent and honest organization. I’m sure that after all the reforms are conducted in these six months after the election, AIBA will be without any debts and the organization will re-enter the Olympic movement. AIBA will act and work only in the interests of sports.
