(Boxing news) AIBA has unveiled “Fair Chance, Fair Fight” as the theme of AIBA Men’s World Boxing Championships begin in Belgrade and AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships begin in Istanbul. The initiative is created for athletes who have been forced to leave their countries due to conflict and is taking into account the growing displacement, resulting in a refugee crisis. For the first time in history, both men and women will receive equal prize money as a part of “Fair Chance”.
“Every boxer deserves a fair chance and a fair fight. We are fully committed to that principle, and we hope to demonstrate just how dedicated we are to keeping that at the core of our boxing events. It is critical to ensure a safe environment for all athletes, and especially for people in transition. I truly believe that by helping people in need we help society, at the same time as we develop boxing,” said AIBA President Umar Kremlev.
A new rigorous selection criteria has also been introduced for referees and judges to further support AIBA’s belief that athletes’ chances of winning need to be exclusively up to the level of their skill and the quality of their performance. Additional candidate background checks will also be conducted by a team of Professor Richard McLaren to conduct an investigation on the organization’s sporting integrity issues.
“We owe it to all our athletes to do everything in our power to secure a safe, controlled, and fair environment for them to demonstrate the results of years of training. Their job is to put on a fight in the ring, our job is to make sure it is judged and assessed fairly. Therefore our officials have to be trusted with taking good care of our boxers and their winning chances,” AIBA Secretary General, Istvan Kovacs said.
To ensure no doping is involved, rigorous testing will be conducted throughout the event which will be double in comparison to the previous World Championships.
