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☆ Sweden to move ahead with 2030 Winter Games bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 17 (Reuters) - The Swedish Olympic Committee (SOK) intends to move ahead with a bid to host the Winter Olympics for the first time after a four-month feasibility study showed there was interest in staging the Games in Stockholm. Sweden, a winter sports powerhouse, has unsuccessfully bid eight times for the Winter Games, including the 2026 edition which was awarded to Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo. Stockholm staged the Summer Olympics in 1912. "Our preliminary study shows that Sweden has the opportunity, know-how and will to arrange the Winter Games in 2030," SOK president Hans von Uthmann said in a statement. The Japanese city of Sapporo, which hosted the 1972 Winter Games, was considered the favourite but has put its bid on hold in the wake of a widening corruption scandal over the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Persons: Hans von Uthmann, Hritika Sharma, Lincoln Organizations: Swedish Olympic, Winter, Milan, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Games, Committee, Tokyo, IOC, Thomson Locations: Stockholm . Sweden, Stockholm, Sweden, Mumbai, Sapporo, Salt Lake City, United States, Los Angeles, Hyderabad

☆ International Boxing Association to appeal stripping of IOC recognition at CAS
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Karolos Grohmann | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 12 (Reuters) - The International Boxing Association (IBA) will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to strip it of recognition, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. The decision now needs the rubber-stamping of an extraordinary IOC session, to be held remotely on June 22. The IOC executive board recommended that the IOC Session decide "the IBA should not organise the Olympic Games LA28 boxing tournament." In an IBA report sent to the IOC recently, the boxing association blamed the Olympic body for intransigence and false statements. The newly formed boxing body includes the United States and Britain as well as New Zealand, Germany, Netherlands and Sweden, who joined the Swiss-registered World Boxing in April.

Persons: Kremlev, Karolos Grohmann, Aadi Nair, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Boxing Association, Sport, Reuters, IBA, IOC, Games, Tokyo, Gazprom, Swiss, Boxing, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Russian, Ukraine, United States, Britain, New Zealand, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden

☆ Tennis-Reaction to Djokovic winning 23rd Grand Slam singles title
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 11 (Reuters) - Following are reactions to Novak Djokovic winning a men's record 23rd Grand Slam singles title by beating Casper Ruud in the French Open final on Sunday. AMERICAN TENNIS GREAT BILLIE JEAN KINGCongrats to Djokovic, Men's Singles title for the third time. He now has a record 23 Grand Slam tournament singles titles. AUSTRALIAN TENNIS GREAT ROD LAVERCongratulations on winning 23 majors... and cementing your legacy in another command performance at Roland Garros. TWO TIMES GRAND SLAM WINNER VICTORIA AZARENKAUnreal Djokovic.

Persons: Novak Djokovic, Casper Ruud, Ruud, Rafa Nadal's, THOMAS BACH Chapeau Novak, Roger, Federer, Rafael, Nadal, RAFA NADAL, BILLIE JEAN KING Congrats, Djokovic, ROD LAVER, Roland Garros, AZARENKA, AZARENKA Unreal Djokovic, Tommy Lund, Toby Davis Organizations: INTERNATIONAL, Olympic Games, AZARENKA Unreal, Thomson Locations: Serbian, Norwegian, Gdansk

☆ Top Indian wrestler accuses government of silence over sexual harassment probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( Rupam Jain | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/7] Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat poses for a picture, after an interview with Reuters, at her residence in Sonipat, northern state of Haryana, India, June 10, 2023. REUTERS/Anushree FadnavisSONIPAT, India, June 10 (Reuters) - An Olympic wrestler on Saturday criticised the pace of a police inquiry into sexual harassment accusations against the chief of India's national wrestling body. Phogat is one of seven female athletes to have lodged a police case against Singh accusing him of sexually harassing them. Singh, who is also a federal lawmaker from Modi's ruling party, has denied allegations of making sexual advances, groping and threatening female athletes if they refused to meet him alone. Delhi Police have filed two cases against Singh, including one under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

Persons: Vinesh, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Narendra Modi's, Singh, Phogat, Modi, It's, Anurag Thakur, Thakur, Amit Shah, Rupam Jain, Amlan Chakraborty, Mike Harrison Organizations: Reuters, REUTERS, Wrestling Federation of India, Delhi Police, Sexual, Commonwealth Games, Olympic, Thomson Locations: Sonipat, Haryana, India, SONIPAT

☆ Indian wrestlers suspend protest after promise of swift probe of federation chief
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Rupam Jain | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NEW DELHI, June 7 (Reuters) - India's top wrestlers said they had decided to suspend protests on Wednesday after the country's sports minister promised a swift probe of their federation chief who they accused six months ago of sexually harassing female athletes. The wrestlers have been camping in New Delhi for months seeking the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has denied the allegations. Singh, a six-time member of parliament, has been accused of sexually assaulting seven female athletes, including a minor. His lawyer rejected all the allegations levelled by the wrestlers and said Singh was cooperating with the police in the probe. It has also threatened to suspend WFI if it fails to hold a fresh election this month.

Persons: Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Singh, Narendra Modi's, Bajrang Punia, Anurag Thakur, Punia, Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, . Sports Minister Thakur, Joanna Maranhao, Sakshi Dayal, Hritika Sharma, Bill Berkrot, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Wrestling Federation of India, Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Sports, Tokyo, . Sports Minister, Rights Alliance, International Olympic Committee, IOC, Thomson Locations: DELHI, New Delhi, Asian

☆ International Boxing Association to be stripped of recognition - IOC
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Karolos Grohmann | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, June 7 (Reuters) - The International Olympic Committee executive board on Wednesday recommended withdrawing recognition of the International Boxing Association (IBA) over its failure to meet a set of reforms, the Olympic body said in a statement. "The report establishes that the IBA has failed to fulfil the conditions set by the IOC... for lifting the suspension of the IBA’s recognition." In an IBA report sent to the IOC recently, the association blamed the Olympic body for intransigence and false statements. The Swiss Boxing Federation last week became the latest national ruling body of the sport to leave IBA and join the rival boxing organisation. The newly formed boxing body includes the United States and Britain as well as New Zealand, Germany, Netherlands and Sweden, who joined the Swiss-registered World Boxing in April.

Persons: Umar Kremlev, Karolos Grohmann, Gareth Jones, Ed Osmond Organizations: Olympic Committee, International Boxing Association, IOC, Olympic Games, IBA, Tokyo, Gazprom, Swiss Boxing Federation, Swiss, Boxing, Thomson Locations: Los, Russia, Ukraine, United States, Britain, New Zealand, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden

☆ GB Boxing seeks associate membership of new world body
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, June 6 (Reuters) - GB Boxing will seek associate membership of World Boxing, a new rival to the Russian-led International Boxing Association (IBA), as the divided sport fights for its Olympic future, it said on Tuesday. GB Boxing delivers the United Kingdom's publicly-funded World Class Programme but is not a national governing body as England, Wales and Scotland have their own separate ones. Associate membership does not carry voting rights but will allow representatives of GB Boxing to hold offices within World Boxing. "It is vitally important to the future of the sport in the UK and across the globe that boxing remains part of the Olympic programme," said GB Boxing chair Jason Glover in a statement. "GB Boxing has played a significant role in helping to establish World Boxing and the decision to apply for associate membership is a sign of our long-term commitment to the new organisation and a desire on our behalf to play a part in its future development."

Persons: Kingdom's, Jason Glover, Alan Baldwin, Ken Ferris Organizations: Boxing, Boxing Association, Olympic, IBA, IOC, Thomson Locations: Russian, England, Wales, Scotland, Germany, Britain, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Sweden, United States, Los

☆ IBA wants boxing in Olympics but will not be run by third parties - Kremlev
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Karolos Grohmann | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

PARIS, June 6 (Reuters) - Boxing must stay in the Olympic Games and the International Boxing Association (IBA) will do everything for it to happen but the sport also wants respect and will not be run by third parties, IBA President Umar Kremlev said. "The current crisis situation and the past scandals were all situations created by the member of the IOC, Mr CK Wu." The IOC has not sanctioned CK Wu, who in 2020 resigned from the Olympic body citing medical reasons. According to the IBA report, repeated efforts by IBA officials to meet with IOC officials were ignored. We would like the IOC to also achieve this principle of becoming the home of the Olympic movement," Kremlev said.

Persons: Umar Kremlev, Kremlev, Thomas Bach, CK Wu, Wu, Taiwan's Wu, Karolos Grohmann, Ken Ferris Organizations: Olympic Games, International Boxing Association, Reuters, IBA, IOC, AIBA, CK, Gazprom, Thomson Locations: Los, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Russian

☆ IOC to hold executive board on Wednesday with boxing in focus-sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Karolos Grohmann | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, June 6 (Reuters) - The International Olympic Committee will hold a one-day executive board meeting on Wednesday with the embattled International Boxing Association (IBA) in focus, sources said on Tuesday. The IOC has a planned executive board meeting set for June 20-22 but has now scheduled Wednesday's event following an IBA report on the state of required reforms sent to the Olympic body. Two sources with knowledge of proceedings confirmed to Reuters the meeting on Wednesday, with boxing in the spotlight. The IOC suspended the IBA in 2019 over governance, finance, refereeing and ethical issues and did not involve it in running the boxing events at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. The IBA report sent to the IOC recently blamed the Olympic body for intransigence and false statements while claiming the IBA had done enough to meet reform criteria.

Persons: Umar Kremlev, Karolos, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Olympic, International Boxing Association, IOC, IBA, Reuters, Paris, Thomson Locations: Los, India

☆ Exclusive: Olympics-IBA says has met reform criteria, accuses IOC of intransigence
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Karolos Grohmann | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

PARIS, June 5 (Reuters) - With boxing teetering on the brink of Olympic elimination, the International Boxing Association (IBA) told the International Olympic Committee it had met its reform criteria and any ban lacked legal basis. "IBA did its best to eliminate IOC’s concern on IBA’s different areas of work and to improve them, such as finances, governance and sports integrity," the IBA report said. "It is necessary to remind that CK Wu at that time was an IOC member, and it is completely wrong that IBA bears full responsibility for the wrongdoings of the IOC member," the IBA said. "The IOC surpassed IBA completely and contacted the officials without prior agreement of data sharing between the two entities." "Withdrawal of the IBA’s full recognition by the IOC will be not justified, fair and legally correct decision," it said.

Persons: Umar Kremlev, CK Wu, Karolos, Christian Radnedge Organizations: International Boxing Association, International Olympic, IOC, Reuters, IBA, Paris, Gazprom, International Federation, Olympic Games, Thomson Locations: Los, India, Ukraine, Paris

☆ Novak Djokovic stands by Kosovo comments at the French Open
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic has stood by his decision to send a political message about Kosovo at the French Open. After his first-round victory on Monday, Djokovic wrote “Kosovo is the [heart symbol] of Serbia. So that’s all.”He added that he had not spoken to French Open tournament director Amélie Mauresmo about the incident. Djokovic is no stranger to controversy at grand slam tournaments. “A drama-free grand slam, I don’t think it can happen for me,” he said on Wednesday.

Persons: Novak Djokovic, Djokovic, Serbia ”, ” Djokovic, Hungary’s Márton, Amélie Mauresmo, ”, Srdjan, didn’t, “, Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Rafael Nadal Organizations: CNN, “, NATO, Serbian, Olympic, KOC, International Olympic Committee, Tennis Federation, ITF, IOC, Olympic Games, Covid Locations: Serbian, Kosovo, “ Kosovo, Serbia, Zvecan, Melbourne

☆ Tsitsipas, Alcaraz soar at French Open, Djokovic row simmers
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Unlike after his opening match on Monday, however, there was no message on the camera lens the Serbian signed and the 22-times Grand Slam champion looked to draw a line under the issue. Djokovic missed last year's Australian Open and was deported from the country due to being unvaccinated for COVID. He won the Melbourne title this year despite a row that erupted after his father posed with some fans holding Russian flags. "A drama-free Grand Slam, I don't think it can happen for me," Djokovic added. Anna Blinkova dashed French hopes with a stunning 4-6 6-3 7-5 victory over fifth seed Caroline Garcia, wrapping up victory on her ninth match point.

Persons: Roland Garros, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena, Benoit Tessier, Alcaraz, Djokovic, Garcia, Tsitsipas, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Jiri Vesely, Roberto Carballes Baena, Japan's Taro Daniel, Denis Shapovalov, Ismet Krasniqi, Amelie Oudea, Castera, Elina Svitolina, Australian Storm Hunter, Svitolina, Sabalenka, Iryna Shymanovich, Marta Kostyuk, I've, Jelena Ostapenko, Peyton Stearns, Barbora, Lesia Tsurenko, Swiatek, Suzanne Lenglen, Jessica Pegula, Camila Giorgi, Anna Blinkova, Caroline Garcia, Kokkinakis, Stan Wawrinka, Andrey Rublev, Corentin, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Toby Davis, Ed Osmond Organizations: Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena REUTERS, Tennis Federation, Serbian, Marton, COVID, Melbourne, Kosovo Olympic, International Olympic Committee, Kosovo's Olympic, International Tennis Federation, Australian Storm, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Kosovo, PARIS, Serbia, Marton Fucsovics, Serbian, Ukrainian, Ukraine

☆ NATO-led troops guard town hall in northern Kosovo
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Fatos Bytyci | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/6] U.S. Kosovo Force (KFOR) soldiers, under NATO, stand guard near a municipal office in Leposavic, Kosovo May 31, 2023. Following clashes on Monday in Zvecan, another northern town, during which 30 NATO troops and 52 ethnic Serbian protesters were hurt, NATO said it would send 700 more troops to Kosovo to boost its 4,000-strong mission. Those ethnic Albanian mayors were then installed last week, a decision that spurred rebuke of Pristina by the U.S. and its allies on Friday. The ethnic Albanian mayor of Leposavic, another northern Kosovo town, remained in the municipal building on Wednesday after entering it amid Serb demonstrations on Monday. Peacekeeping troops were deployed in Kosovo in 1999 after NATO bombing drove Serbia's police and army out of its former province.

Persons: couldn't, Dragan, –, Emmanuel Macron, Macron, Olaf Scholz, Albin Kurti, Novak Djokovic, Djokovic, Jeton Hadergjonaj, Aleksandar Vucic, Fatos Bytici, Ivana Sekularac, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Kosovo Force, KFOR, NATO, REUTERS, Serbian, U.S, Reuters, United, Wednesday, Belgrade, Kosovo Olympic, International Olympic Committee, Kosovo Albanian, Thomson Locations: U.S, Leposavic, Kosovo, LEPOSAVIC, Zvecan, Serbian, Pristina, KOSOVO, United States, Serbia, Bratislava, Northern, Belgrade, EU

☆ Kosovo Olympic Committee seeks IOC disciplinary action against Djokovic
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The violence erupted after ethnic Albanian mayors took office in northern Kosovo's Serb-majority area following elections that were boycotted by the Serbs. "Novak Djokovic has yet again promoted the Serbian nationalists' propaganda and used the sport platform to do so," Ismet Krasniqi, president of Kosovo's Olympic Committee (KOK), said in a statement. France's Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera, whose country will host the summer Olympics in Paris next year, said Djokovic's message was "not appropriate, clearly". Djokovic, chasing a record 23rd Grand Slam title, has said he was not holding back and would do it again. On Tuesday, Kosovo's tennis federation said Djokovic's comments were "regrettable", accusing him of using his status as a well-known personality to stir tensions.

Persons: Roland Garros, Serbia's Novak Djokovic, Aleksandar Kovacevic, Novak Djokovic, Djokovic, Ismet Krasniqi, Amelie Oudea, shouldn't, Hungary's Marton Fucsovics, Rohith Nair, Karolos Grohmann, Julien Pretot, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Helen Popper, Christian Organizations: U.S, REUTERS, Kosovo Olympic, International Olympic Committee, NATO, Serbs, Kosovo's Olympic, IOC, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, PARIS, Serbian, Kosovo, Serbia, Zvecan, Kosovo's, Bengaluru, Karolos

CNN —The Kosovan Olympic Committee (KOC) has called for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Tennis Federation (ITF) to take disciplinary action against Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic. On Monday, Djokovic left a political message on a TV camera lens at the French Open in response to violent clashes in Kosovo, writing: “Kosovo is the [heart symbol] of Serbia. There were clashes with protestors on Monday after ethnically Albanian mayors took office in northern Kosovo, a majority Kosovo Serb area, following April elections that Kosovo Serbs had boycotted. Djokovic elaborated on his message in Serbian at a press conference this week, saying: “This is the least I could have done. Djokovic plays in the second round of the French Open against Hungary’s Márton Fucsovics on Wednesday.

Persons: Novak Djokovic, Djokovic, Ismet Krasniqi, KOC, “, Djokovic “, ”, ” Djokovic, Garros, Jean Catuffe, Serbia ”, Krasniqi, Hungary’s Márton Fucsovics Organizations: CNN, Olympic, KOC, International Olympic Committee, Tennis Federation, Serbian, IOC, ”, Kosovo Serb, Kosovo Serbs, Kosovo, Djokovic, ITF, Olympic Charter, ” CNN, Hungary’s Locations: Kosovo, Serbia, Serbian

HONG KONG, May 8 (Reuters) - China wants to work with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to oppose the politicisation of sports, Premier Li Qiang said, amid demands on the sporting body to exclude athletes from Russia in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine. Premier Li made the comments at a meeting with IOC head Thomas Bach in Beijing over the weekend, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency. The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has already offered to let Russian and Belarusian athletes compete at the Asian Games in China this year. "Li said that China is willing to work together with the IOC to oppose the politicisation of sports and to make greater contribution to the Olympic movement," Xinhua reported. Bach said China plays an important role in maintaining world peace and promoting mutual development and IOC is willing to strengthen cooperation with China to promote the development of the Olympic movement.

☆ Russian, Belarusian golfers allowed to return as neutrals
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 6 (Reuters) - The International Golf Federation (IGF) has said Russian and Belarusian athletes can return to competing in international competitions as neutrals. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) sanctioned Russia and its ally Belarus after Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022 but in March recommended that their athletes be allowed to return to international competition as neutrals. Table tennis, pentathlon, fencing, judo and taekwondo are among the Olympic sports to have readmitted athletes from the two countries. The field for men's and women's golf at the Olympics consists of 60 players with qualification determined through the Olympic Golf Ranking (OGR). There are no Russians or Belarusians in the top 60 of the men's or women's rankings.

☆ Russia to launch Friendship Games after 40-year gap, sports minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 4 (Reuters) - Russia plans to relaunch the multi-sport Friendship Games next year, 40 years after its first edition, Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin has told President Vladimir Putin. Matytsin said the event would be held after the Paris Olympics, which will run from July 26-Aug. 11 next year. "We continue to fulfil your (Putin's) instruction to organise the World Friendship Games in the autumn of 2024. FRIENDLY TIESLast year, Russia held a competition called the Solidarity Games with the aim of "strengthening of international friendly ties between states". The Friendship Games were first organised in 1984 in the Soviet Union and eight other socialist states which boycotted the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

☆ Russian, Belarusian cyclists allowed to return as neutrals
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 3 (Reuters) - Russian and Belarusian cyclists will be allowed to compete in international competitions as neutrals after being banned last year, the sport's governing body (UCI) said on Wednesday. In the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in which Belarus has been used as a staging post, most international sports federations adopted recommendations by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes. But last month the IOC recommended that Russian and Belarusian athletes be allowed to return to international competition as neutrals. The UCI said in a statement that it had decided "to authorise, under strict conditions, the participation of athletes of Russian and Belarusian sporting nationality... as neutral individual athletes". Table tennis, pentathlon, fencing, judo, taekwondo, archery, and canoeing are among the Olympic sports to have readmitted athletes from the two countries.

☆ Russians approved for world championships, Ukraine pulls out in protest
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BERLIN, May 2 (Reuters) - Russian and Belarusian judokas can take part as neutrals at this month's world championships in Doha, the International Judo Federation (IJF) said, prompting Ukraine to pull out of the May 7-14 event in protest. Ukraine has barred its national sports teams from competing in events that include competitors from Russia and Belarus while Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues. "The Executive Committee of the IJF has voted to permit neutral athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in the World Judo Championships 2023 in Doha, Qatar, as Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN)," the IJF said in a statement on Tuesday. Athletes must not have links to the Russian military or have made pro-war statements. The Ukrainian federation alleged on its website that many of the Russian judoka registered for the championships are from the army.

☆ Kasatkina thankful Russian players still able to compete
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 1 (Reuters) - Daria Kasatkina said she is thankful that Russian tennis players are still able to compete in international tournaments while other sports have banned them due to the war in Ukraine. Some sports have recently begun to readmit Russian and Belarusian athletes following recommendations issued by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) last month. Wimbledon banned players from the two countries last year but said in March it would accept them as neutral athletes. "I'm happy that we will be able to come back this year and to be honest we are (in) the luckiest sport as we are able to compete still." "The saddest part is the war is still going on, so of course the players from Ukraine have got a lot of reasons to not shake our hands," Kasatkina said.

May 1 (Reuters) - International Boxing Association (IBA) president Umar Kremlev blasted the national federations who broke away from the body to form a new world boxing federation, describing the officials as 'black sheep' and 'hyenas' who do not belong in sport. But Russian Kremlev, who is in Tashkent for the IBA men's world championships, said the IBA is the only international association that governs the sport. Someone tried to register an international association from their garage, why should we even consider them," Kremlev told a news conference. "We did not terminate the (Gazprom) contract as there were obligations to complete... Most federations were against Gazprom being sponsor, but at the (IBA) Congress there were no objections."

☆ Russian athletes say IOC participation plan 'excessive and discriminatory'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

April 30 (Reuters) - The International Olympic Committee's (IOC) recommendation to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to return to international competition as neutrals is "excessive and discriminatory", the Russian Olympic Committee's (ROC) athletes' commission said. The recommendations include that Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete with no flag or anthem, while athletes who support the war or are contracted to military or national security agencies are excluded. In March, ROC head Stanislav Pozdnyakov denounced the recommendations, a position backed by the athletes commission chaired by former Olympic 800 metres champion Yuriy Borzakovskiy. The IOC is to decide separately on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the 2024 Games at a later date, while Ukraine has threatened to boycott the Games if Russians are allowed to compete there. Though the Russian athletes' commission believes the IOC's recommendations to be excessive, others have argued that they are too lenient.

☆ USA Boxing withdraws from Russian-led world body IBA
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 27 (Reuters) - USA Boxing, representing the most successful country in the sport's Olympic history, has left the International Boxing Association (IBA) and will join the breakaway federation World Boxing. Mike McAtee, chief executive of USA Boxing, wrote in a letter to members on Wednesday that the withdrawal was effective immediately. "USA Boxing will immediately begin the World Boxing application process and submit the required application on the first day of acceptance, on or about May 1, 2023," he added. "USA Boxing is committed to work tirelessly with World Boxing, like-minded national federations and worldwide Olympic-style boxing community to earn the privilege to be part of the Olympic Movement now and in the years to come." USA Boxing is certified by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee as the national governing body for Olympic-Style boxing in the United States.

☆ IBA files complaint to integrity unit against breakaway world body
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 26 (Reuters) - The International Boxing Association has filed an official complaint to the Boxing Independent Integrity Unit against the individuals and entities involved in the creation of a new world boxing federation, it said on Wednesday. Earlier this month, a group including the United States and Britain announced a new world boxing federation in a breakaway aimed at securing the troubled sport's Olympic future. Leaders of Swiss-registered World Boxing said they would seek recognition from the International Olympic Committee. Reuters has requested comment from World Boxing. The IBA -- suspended over governance, finance, refereeing and ethical issues -- was stripped of involvement in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the qualifiers for Paris 2024.

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