Extraordinary Congress takes AIBA into a new era

The AIBA President Dr. Ching-Kuo Wu praised the 114 federations who participated in the Extraordinary Congress for taking AIBA into a new era after AIBA's reform project was given resounding approval on Sunday.

The Extraordinary Congress, held in the Westin Hotel in Chicago on the eve of the AIBA World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007, voted overwhelmingly for the implementation of new AIBA statutes (103 for and one against), a new name and a new look.

"This is a historic day for AIBA," Dr. Wu said to members. "Today is the birth of the new AIBA. The new AIBA statutes will revolutionize AIBA and where boxing will prosper and I'm very happy that the AIBA family is prepared to hold hands together and walk side by side in AIBA's march towards a new era."

The new statutes include a limit on Presidential terms (three four-year terms) and a reduction in the size of the AIBA Executive Committee (from 30 to 15) consisting of one President, five vice-presidents (each one coming from a Member affiliated to a different Confederation), and nine members (at least two for Africa, America, Asia and Europe), all of which are elected by the Congress.

AIBA will also only recognize one Confederation in each continent. Members that belong to the same continent have formed the following Confederations, which are recognized by AIBA: African Boxing Confederation (AFBC), American Boxing Confederation (AMBC), Asian  Boxing Confederation (ASBC), European Boxing Confederation (EBC), Oceania Boxing Confederation (OBC). The following permanent commissions will also be effective by 2010: Finance Commission, Technical Rules Commission, Referees & Judges Commission, Medical Commission, Competitions & Equipment Commission, Youth Commission, Women's Commission, Athletes' Commission, Public Relations, Media & Marketing Commission, Development Commission and an AIBA League Commission.

In other changes, formerly called the International Amateur Boxing Association, AIBA is now known as the International Boxing Association. AIBA being a combination of the English and French acronyms - IBA (International Boxing Association) and AIB (Association Internationale de Boxe).

The new logo accompanying the change in name signifies the new direction AIBA is heading - towards a strong and bright future.

About the International Boxing Association

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) is a non-profit international organization, which was founded under the name Fédération Internationale de Boxe Amateur (FIBA) in 1920. In 1946 a new start was given with the launch of AIBA to replace the dissolved FIBA and now, more than 60 years later, AIBA, with its 195 member federations, continues to govern the sport of Boxing, working for the benefit of the sport and all its participants, to help Boxing realize its goals within the Olympic Movement and the international sporting arena.