(UTV|COLOMBO) – Boxing faces uncertain Olympic future but the world body chief Gafur Rakhimov Wednesday said the sport will remain in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games roster having made improvement on several aspects as sought by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The sport risks ejection from the Olympics after controversial Uzbek businessman Rakhimov was elected AIBA president this month. Whether boxing will be in the 2020 Olympics will be decided at an executive commission meeting of the IOC in Tokyo next month.
Rakhimov’s election has caused consternation at the Olympic movement with the 67-year-old linked to organised crime by the US Treasury Department. He has, however, vehemently denied the allegations. Addressing a press conference after declaring the 10th Women’s World Championships open, Rakhimov said he was confident of boxing’s future as an Olympic sport.
“There is nothing to worry. These (issues) has been happening for many years and we have been correcting them. It has nothing to do with one person and the person’s interest will not be above boxing. Boxing will always be in Olympics,” he said.
