The International Boxing Association (AIBA) has the great pleasure in confirming the appointment of Mr. Keith Walker (AIBA Youth World Championships), Ms. Nieva Embuldeniya (AIBA Women's World Championships) and Mr. Luiz Claudio Braga Boselli (AIBA World Cup) as the Technical Delegates for its three remaining tournaments in 2008.

The appointment of Ms. Embuldeniya, an AIBA Executive Committee member and vice-chairperson of the AIBA Women's Commission from Sri Lanka, marks the first time in AIBA history that a woman will officiate in the role of Technical Delegate.

"It is great honour to be named by the AIBA President Dr. Ching-Kuo Wu as the Technical Delegate for the AIBA Women's World Championships," Ms Embuldeniya, who was an International Technical Official (ITO) at three AIBA Olympic Qualification tournaments earlier this year, said. "I am proud to be selected and this now sets the tone for women in boxing, illustrating the increased standing women's boxing has not only inside but also outside of the ring."

Mr. Walker, a member of the AIBA Referee and Judges Commission from New Zealand, most recently officiated as an ITO at the AIBA Oceania Olympic Qualification Tournament in Apia, Samoa while Mr. Braga Boselli, an AIBA Executive Committee member from Brazil, was the Technical Delegate at the 1st AIBA Europe Olympic Qualification Tournament in Pescara, Italy.

The AIBA Competition Rules, available on the AIBA website www.aiba.org, state that to be qualified as an AIBA Technical Delegate, the person in question must exhibit superior leadership and management skills by having the AIBA R&J certification and/or AIBA ITO License. An active coach, referee, judge and team manager cannot be appointed as a Technical Delegate.

Pic: AIBA EC member Mr. Luiz Claudio Braga Boselli

Mr. Walker and Mr. Braga Boselli will both be ITO's at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

The AIBA Youth World Championships will be held in Guadalajara, Mexico from October 25-November 1, followed by the AIBA Women's World Championships from November 22-30 in Ningbo, China before the AIBA World Cup takes place from December 5-15 in Moscow, Russia.