Report rejects BBC's 'cash for medals' allegations against AIBA

Dr. Ching-Kuo Wu, President of the International Boxing Association (AIBA), on Tuesday welcomed the Final Report of the Special Investigation Committee, which had been probing claims made by BBC journalists last September of corruption involving the London 2012 Olympic Games.  

The report, which was completed after an exhaustive two-month-long investigation chaired by Tom Virgets, Senior Associate Athletic Director at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, was sent to AIBA's headquarters in Switzerland on Monday.  

The AIBA President met on Tuesday morning with Dr. Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to deliver a copy of the Final Report.   The main finding of the inquiry was that the allegations made by BBC journalists in a TV programme of money supposedly having been paid by Azerbaijan's government in exchange for promises of Olympic gold medals were "groundless and not supported by any credible evidence."  

Dr. Virgets also announced on Monday that the Investigation Commitee had traced and documented both the source and the disbursement of the investment made to finance North American boxing franchises, and had found that claims of any government funds were "unsubstantiated". Instead, the investigation found the source of funds had been "a private investor named Hamid Hamidov, who had decided to invest in North American boxing franchises but merely as "a commercial investor."  

"We are pleased that after a lengthy investigation, the full facts have emerged and the air has been cleared," Dr. Wu said in a statement on Tuesday. "We welcome the findings of this important process, and are pleased that our procedures and our integrity have stood up to the scrutiny of an independent inquiry."  

The AIBA President also said he has "full confidence" in Ivan Khodabakhsh, the Chief Operating Officer of World Series of Boxing and is "pleased that he has been fully exonerated by the Special Investigation Committee." He noted the Final Report had detailed how Mr. Khodabakhsh, whom the BBC claimed had made promises of gold medals, had never actually met the investor, had no role in the negotiations for the investment, and in any case has no role in boxing competition at the London Olympic Games.  

Dr. Wu added that within 24 hours of receiving the independent inquiry's findings, he had presented a copy of the Final Report to the IOC President. 

"I wanted to share the full report of the Special Investigation Committee with President Rogge as soon as I received it as this is appropriate," Dr Wu said.

This official communique from Switzerland appears to put the lid on the allegations made in the documentary. Note the careful use of the word "appears", as I for one am still not convinced that Hamid Hamidov is as philanthropic as this suggests, and the very idea that an Azeri business man would wish to invest such large sums in apparently failing franchises on the other side of the world is stretching credulity to breaking point.

Furthermore, if I were cynical then the fact that the two month long investigation was carried out by a former USA Amateur Boxing President and now chairman of AIBA's disciplinary committee Tom Virgets, would encourage me to think in terms of a dulux job.

If indeed the five page report (did it really take two months to write?) does show clearly that the Beeb were at fault in their research and broadcast, AIBA will want some form of retraction. I won't hold my breath for the demand from Lausanne.