Swiss Courts Delay Decision on Boxing Takeover

(ATR) The wait continues for judges to determine who has authority to lead Olympic boxing as executives seek to oust International Boxing Association president CK Wu.

A spokesperson for AIBA’s Interim Management Committee tells Around the Rings that the Swiss court determining the viability of the IMC needs to hear from both the committee and embattled president Wu before it can make a decision.

The hearing will be held on Aug. 17. The IMC is paying for its own legal fees during the dispute and says it expects that Wu is doing the same.

Until the hearing, ATR is told both the IMC and president Wu have the authority to manage AIBA’s operations. Wu and the IMC, led by chairman and AIBA vice president Franco Falcinelli, have been working together in AIBA’s Lausanne headquarters at the Maison du Sport International since its reopening on Aug. 2.

The IMC closed the AIBA headquarters immediately following the AIBA Executive Committee meeting in Moscow that took place from July 24-25, locking the doors and hiring security to patrol the entry. During the meeting, 13 executive committee members recommended a motion of no confidence against Wu be brought to AIBA’s 201 National Federations at an Extraordinary Congress.

The executives also established the IMC in order to maintain AIBA’s business operations until a vote on whether Wu should remain as president. That vote will take place at an Extraordinary Congress Nov. 11 in Dubai.

IMC member Pat Fiacco says in a statement that the postponed decision by the court does not affect the scheduled Extraordinary Congress.

"I’m sure that when the court hears our position, it will confirm the IMC’s control of AIBA till the Extraordinary Congress to ensure the vote of no-confidence against President Wu is held in a free and fair manner," he says.

"The Swiss court has rightfully rejected President Wu’s demand that the Interim Management Committee be dismissed immediately. We welcome the court’s decision to wait till it can hear all sides."

The crux of the dispute revolves around alleged financial mismanagement of AIBA properties by Wu. AIBA executives fear that deals by Wu could lead the federation to bankruptcy.

The International Olympic Committee is closely monitoring the situation given Wu’s status as an IOC Executive Board member and the potential implications of bankruptcy for one of the largest international federations.

IOC president Thomas Bach says the situation was not discussed during the IOC EB meeting in London that Wu attended ahead of the IAAF World Championships.

Written by Kevin Nutley

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