By Ronnie Nathanielsz
The president of AIBA, the international amateur boxing association Dr. Ching Ku-Wu welcomed the new president of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippnes Ricky Vargas as well as ABAP secretary general Patrick Gregorio and executive director Ed Picson during a courtesy call on the AIBA president in Taipei on Wednesday.
Dr. Wu whose leadership has been commended by the International Olympic Committee gave Vargas and the ABAP officials an update on the current AIBA projects which include a proposal to the IOC pushing for inclusion of women’s boxing in the London Olympic Games of 2012.
The AIBA president also briefed the Philippine delegation on its new boxing competition – the World Series of Boxing and the Boxing Academy that will hold courses for all practitioners of the sport.
According to AIBA, Vargas stated that the new leadership in amateur boxing in the Philippines is very keen to work closely with AIBA, especially with regard to the new AIBA projects.
Vargas also showed interest in bidding to host AIBA sanctioned boxing events.
BoxingScene.com, insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports were told the AIBA president concluded that the meeting was “very productive” and that he was looking forward to a closer working relationship with the new leadership of ABAP.
Meantime, the Executive Committee of the International Amateur Boxing Association recently voted unanimously on the final day of a three-day meeting in Milan , Italy to send the International Olympic Committee or IOC a new proposal.
The AIBA Technical and Rules Commission presented a new proposal which will incorporate women boxers into the Olympic program and streamline the men’s weight categories.
BoxingScene.com, insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports were informed that the Executive Committee “fully supported the proposal and the AIBA Technical and Rules Commission’s recommendations to finalize the weight categories in the coming weeks.”
AIBA president Dr. Wu said “this is a crucial decision in the development of women’s boxing. AIBA fully supports the idea of including women’s boxing in the Olympic Games and now we must work hard and try to put forward a proposal the IOC cannot refuse.”
The IOC is expected to make a decision on whether to include women’s boxing in the London Olympics at its congress in Copenhagen , Denmark which runs from October 3-5.
Britain’s Olympics minister Tessa Jowell had earlier batted for the inclusion of women’s boxing in the London Olympic Games.
