36 Rio officials stood down

THE International Boxing Association (AIBA) has stood down all 36 referees and judges that officiated at Rio 2016 pending the completion of an investigation into judging at the Games.

The decision was taken following the completion of an AIBA Referees & Judges and Technical & Rules Commissions meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is not clear whether all members of the various commissions were informed of or attended the meeting in Lausanne.

The Rio Olympics were marred by poor officiating, not least Michael Conlan’s de feat to Russia’s Vladimir Nikitin in the bantamweight quarter-final. Fergal Carruth, CEO of the Irish Athletic Boxing Association, confirmed last week they had written to AIBA expressing concerns about judging at the Games. Belfast-native Conlan, who has since turned pro, said after the Nikitin decision he’ll never fight under an AIBA flag again and called the governing body for amateur boxing cheats.