Adam and Adel Belalia will participate in the World Boxing Championships in Uzbekistan.
Adam Belal doesn’t care about the Swedish boycott. PDO
The Swedish Boxing Federation has announced that it will boycott the sport’s World Championships in Uzbekistan.
The International Boxing Association IBA is headed by a close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin Umar Kremlinov.
Despite the boycott, there are two Swedes on the World Cup participant list. Twin brothers take part in the games Adam and Adel Belalia.
The Swedish Boxing Federation was shocked to see Swedish flags on the entry list.
– This is a scandal like no other, the head of the Swedish Boxing Association Per-Axel Sjöholm comment For Expressen.
Adam Belalia has competed at the professional level seven times and has won the Swedish Championship in 2020. His brother Adel Belalia won the Swedish Championship in 2019 and silver two years earlier.
The Swedish Boxing Federation did not know in advance about the duo’s participation.
The brothers did not want to comment on the matter to Expressen. Last year, they said in an interview with Mitt magazine that they would rather practice outside of Sweden. According to their own words, the two have trained in Russia, Poland and Estonia.
– Boxing is much harder and faster in Eastern Europe and we are used to it, Adel Belalia said.
According to the Swedish Boxing Association, the duo cannot even fight in Sweden, because they have not renewed their competition license.
The leader of the union has not discussed with the brothers.
– They currently have nothing to do with Swedish boxing.
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Mail to IBA
According to Expressen, Scotland is also boycotting the games, but they also have a boxer in the games.
– The IBA has been able to tell the boxers of the boycotting countries that they are welcome to the games. The IBA has said that it can pay for travel expenses and other things, says Sjöholm.
Inside The Game website says that the IBA financially supported athletes from a total of 50 countries to participate in the Games. These also include the Swedish brothers.
The Swedish Boxing Federation has sent a letter to the IBA to ask for more information. The association is asking for information on, among other things, who has registered the brothers for the games, who is registered as their coach and why the brothers have been accepted for the games without the association’s knowledge.
The IBA is also asked who has signed the medical certificate presented in connection with the brothers’ registration.
Expressen contacted the IBA, but received no comments from the union.
Adel Belalia will already face Turkmenistan on Saturday Saparmyrat Odayev against in a middle division match. Adam Belalia starts his racing career on Sunday when he faces the Frenchman Moreno Fenderon in the intermediate series.
According to the Inside The Game website, a total of five boxers from three boycotting countries will compete in the World Championships.
In addition to the Swedish duo, the Germans Youssef Lazar and Devrim Goedkuman and Poland Olivier Szot participate in the games.