The decision of the International Boxing Federation was received with joy in Russia.
“A great victory for Russia!”
This is what the Championat website declares in the title of its story, which tells about the new policy of the International Boxing Association IBA, published on Wednesday, to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes back into their events.
With the decision, athletes representing Russia and Belarus will be given the right to use their national emblems and hear their national anthems at events under the federation.
IBA is chaired by Vladimir Putin a Russian known as a friend Umar Kremlinov. In its story, Championat praises Kremjov in quotation marks as an agent of the Russian security service FBS.
– The Russian official has done a really wonderful job. Even as the head of the boxing association, it is incredibly difficult to succeed in implementing such a decision, the story says.
Finland opposes
The Finnish Boxing Federation reacted quickly to the IBA’s decision on Wednesday. It announced that Finland still does not allow Russian or Belarusian boxers or officials at its own events. International events are also boycotted by Finnish athletes, if Russians participate in them.
Sweden’s position is consistent with Finland’s.
– We are standing in the corner of the ring and we were going to fight against this decision. I attend the board meeting, but our athletes do not face Russian or Belarusian boxers in international competitions, the president of the Swedish Boxing Association Per-Axel Sjöholm said to Aftonbladet.
Ukrainian boxing great Volodymyr Klitschko on the other hand, expressed his disappointment with the news on his own Twitter account. The opinion of the former heavyweight champion is clear. In his opinion, the decision will destroy the sport from within.
– Can you knock yourself out? Yes! IBA is an example and makes a fool of itself in front of the whole world by trampling humanistic and universal values. Boxing deserves much better. A great pity, Klytško writes in his update.
Volodymyr’s brother Vitali Klytsko serves as mayor of Kyiv.
Story updated at 8:33 a.m.: Added the comments of the president of the Swedish Federation.
Umar Kremlev pushed through a decision that caused a lot of controversy at the IBA. PDO