IOC boxing task force to discuss Asian associations' problems today

KARACHI: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) boxing task force is going to hold a virtual meeting on Thursday (today) with Asia's national boxing associations to discuss various issues faced by the discipline because of Covid-19, especially the participation of the Asian nations in the forthcoming Olympic qualifiers.

'The News' learnt on Wednesday that the national associations’ representatives will inform the IOC Boxing Task Force about the issues they have been facing because of Covid-19. The world qualifying round will be conducted in May in Paris. The Covid-19 protocols and its related financial obligations may put national associations in deep trouble when they field their boxers in the qualifiers. The associations are also facing issues in imparting training to their fighters for the world qualifying round because of Covid-19.

The top officials of Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) will also attend the meeting.

After AIBA was suspended, the IOC Executive Board created a task force in June 2019, giving it the responsibility to create 2020 Olympics boxing qualification system, and conduct boxing qualifiers and Olympic boxing competition in Tokyo. It is headed by International Gymnastics Federation (IGF) president Morinari Watanabe.