AIBA commissions met in Manchester (PHOTO)

Yesterday’s meeting of the Commission for Sportsmen and Youth Affairs discussed a number of issues on further development of the world boxing.

“AIBA launches numerous projects now aimed at popularization of boxing. It is no secret that some time ago boxing lost its attractiveness and viewers. AIBA exerts every effort to return leading positions of boxing in the global sports community. In this regard, the sportsmen put off helmets which enabled us to return tactical-technical arsenal to training processes which had been lost over the time of “boxing in masks”. By the way, the proposition was initiated by Kazakhstan Boxing Federation. For three years, all the fights among adults have been held without helmets. Presently, we are waiting for a decision of the International Olympic Committee on our boxers’ performance at the forthcoming 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro: whether they will step in the ring in helmets or without them,” Chairman of the Commission, Vice President of the International Boxing Organization Serik Konakbayev said.

“The meetings voiced out also a suggestion on relief of age requirements for adult boxers. All the sportsmen join ‘adults’ category at the age of 19. AIBA offers to lower this requirement to 18,” Kazinform refers to Asian Boxing Confederation.

“To my mind, it’s a very rational proposition, in particular, if we take a short-term boxing career into consideration. From physiological and psychological viewpoints, it is quite acceptable,” President of the Asian Boxing Confederation Serik Konakbayev noted.

The commissions discussed also the possibility of participation of professional boxers in the Olympic Games.

“These issues should be discussed thoroughly , as they touch upon many aspects including organization of a training process,” he added.