Great Britain's hopes of boxing glory at the London 2012 Olympics have been hit by the news that head coach and performance director Rob McCracken has had his licence revoked by the amateur code's governing body AIBA with immediate effect.

AIBA officials wrote to McCracken this week informing him that he will no longer be able to take part in AIBA-sanctioned events - including the Olympics - due to his links with the professional sport.

McCracken, who also coaches WBC super-middleweight champion Carl Froch, has headed Great Britain's amateur programme since 2009 but AIBA claim they have only recently been made aware of the link.

Under Rule 12.3.1 of their constitution, McCracken will be barred until such time as he denounces his professional links and re-applies to be registered as an AIBA coach - a process which will take at least six months.

This means whichever path McCracken opts to take - and it is unlikely he will be willing to split with Froch, who fights Glen Johnson in Atlantic City in June - he will miss this year's World Championships, which double as the first Olympic qualifier, in Baku in September.

McCracken was not available for comment but a British Amateur Boxing Association official said: "We are very shocked by this new rule that could have a serious impact on our medal chances at the London 2012 Olympics."

AIBA claim the rule is nothing new and that had the then Amateur Boxing Association of England chief executive Paul King indicated McCracken's professional links when he applied for the licence on McCracken's behalf in 2009, it would have been rejected.

Despite McCracken's high-profile job with Froch, an AIBA spokesman insisted: "It is the case that we did not know that he was coaching a professional boxer until it was brought to our attention at the end of last year.

"We have 195 member federations and it is very difficult for us to have close control over all of them. It's a full-time job keeping lots of people in line with the rules and lots of people need to bring things to our attention."

The relationship between AIBA and the Amateur Boxing Association of England has cooled in recent months following King's aborted attempt to replace AIBA president Ching-Kuo Wu.

There was also disappointment that plans for a London franchise in the AIBA's World Series of Boxing were scrapped in 2009. The WSB suffered a blow when one of its principle backers, sports marketing giant IMG, withdrew this week.

Tags: Carl Froch