There are many myths about boxers. “You can’t step into the ring and be a nice guy” is such a one. Nice guys don’t step in a boxing ring. According to tradition, this sentence comes from the U.S-Middleweight legend Jake LaMotta. and “Bad Guy” have always been crowd pullers in boxing. In doing so, another question often arose: Are the real ones standing? “Bad Guy” really in the ring? Or do they sit at the top of the associations?
Questionable presidents in the world association
Jake LaMotta was a professional boxer, and this one Business is notoriously suspected of being shady in public. But a look at the Olympic part of the sport also repeatedly brought adventurous stories to light – from presidents linked to organized crime to Putin confidants with questionable reputations at the top. This is Umar Kremlev, the current president of the world association.
Association from I.O.C suspended
It is less than three years since the International Olympic Committee (I.O.C) suspended the boxing association. A crushing mountain of debt, postponed fights, dubious officials: boxing has been put on the cross-off list of the Olympic catalogue. The tournament in Tokyo organized that I.O.C prefer to do it yourself, without the bandage.
Umar Kremlev: Dodgy reformist
A lot has happened in Olympic boxing since then. Comprehensive reforms were initiated. But the world association “IBA“, earlier “AIBA“, meanwhile threatened by bankruptcy on the verge of dissolution. Then the Russian Kremlev was elected president – and immediately solved the most pressing problem: the debt.
Gazprom excused the world association
His contacts led to a sponsorshipdeal with Gazprom, the money problems in boxing were suddenly a thing of the past. And even in the German association, the initially negative attitude towards Kremlev swung to recognition for what had been achieved – despite the highly questionable reputation of the president.
Elections in the shadow of the war against Ukraine
Since Russia’s attack on Ukraine in February, the world isn’t what it was for decades. Most sports sponsorship deals with Gazprom outside Russia have been terminated at short notice. But in boxing it works deal still. Even with the current one WM of the women, the logo of the Russian state-owned company can be found everywhere.
Association depends on a drip from Gazprom
“If the Gazprom contract were to be cancelled, sports would be ended immediately”, says Michael Müller in the Sportschau interview. Müller is sports director at the German boxing association and chairman of the competition committee at the world association. “If someone comes up and says, ‘I have a balance’, we have a completely new situation.”
Kremlev is again up for election
But who should that be? Dutchman Boris van der Vorst is the only opponent of Umar Kremlev and has not presented a “substitute sponsor” so far. Kremlev, on the other hand, will continue to be able to count on Gazprom money. This puts the delegates in a complicated position.
choice shall prevail I.O.C-Decision
The elections are the final step in the reform agenda to I.O.C to encourage the association to be rehabilitated. The integrity of managerial staff was an important requirement. “The Dutch candidate will certainly comment on the financial issue“, says Michael Mueller. “And it’s no secret that the I.O.C-accounts are still almost 30 million euros in television money frozen, which is actually due to the world association”.
German association does not clearly commit itself
How the German association will vote – there is no public commitment. Müller also does not rule out an election by Kremlev: “We have agreed not to provide any information about this. You can be sure that we know exactly what responsibility we have to face and will make the right choice.”. That may be association-political tactics before the election. It doesn’t exactly help sport in public perception.
Shadow lies on the sport
Stefanie von Berge prefers to hide the topic: “I’m an athlete and I can’t really comment on that”said the spokeswoman for the German team shortly before the start of the women’sWM in Istanbul in a sports show interview. The eternal quarrels surrounding the world association have been annoying the active players for a long time, you could hear that again and again in recent years. The tenor is that sport is far too seldom the focus.