Independent Boxing Investigation Reveals Bout Manipulation Continued After the Rio Olympics

Unethical leaders created an unstable organization that became
a breeding ground for corruption

TORONTO, Dec. 10, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - In the Stage Three Report of the Independent International Boxing Investigation, Professor Richard McLaren, O.C., exposed the bout manipulation that occurred in seven international boxing tournaments from 2016 to 2021 following the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. The report also explains that despite changes in leadership the dysfunctionality of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) contributed to the ongoing bout manipulation that flourished during this period.

"Rio should have been a watershed moment for boxing. The corruption at the games resulted in the suspension of judges and removal of the executive director who had been instrumental in creating the system of bout manipulation," said Professor McLaren. "You would think that the sport would have charted a new, more responsible course. This was not the case. Our report explains why."

Although there was an attempt to clean house following Rio, the revolving door of leaders created a vacuum that was filled by factions vying for power and control.

"No one was minding the shop. There was no focus on the field of play and the boxing ring," said Professor McLaren.

In his first report, Professor McLaren confirmed that a bout manipulation system by officials existed at Rio. He found that the qualifying competitions prior to Rio in 2016 were the practice ground for the corruption and manipulation of bouts at Rio.

"When combined with our Stage 1 report, I have painted a picture of a sport that was at the mercy of unscrupulous actors who seized and never relinquished power," said Professor McLaren. "They put in place a sophisticated system of bout manipulation at Rio, the impact and breadth of which may never truly be understood. They hid business relationships from AIBA, for presumably, their own personal gain. They oversaw a corrupt system that stretched from the top all the way to lower-level R&Js."

The report outlines a comprehensive series of recommendations for the AIBA to implement. The design of which is to create an environment where there is rigorous, independent application of the rules of the sports and prosecution of violations through sanctions as the counterweight to the highly subjective judging process. This is the only way to stop the manipulation.

Professor McLaren and his team were retained in June 2021 by the International Boxing Association (AIBA) to investigate possible irregularities in the judging and refereeing during the Rio Olympic Games in 2016. The final stage will involve a broad investigation to identify possible acts of corruption of the leadership, mismanagement of funds, manipulation of election results by AIBA past administrations and provide recommendations to correct any identified problems. 

The full report can be downloaded here: https://www.mclarenglobalsportsolutions.com/pdf/AIBA_Stage3_Dec10-2021.pdf

SOURCE McLaren Global Sports Solutions

Catherine Doyle, Avenue Strategic Communications, On behalf of MGSS, Tel: [phone], Email: [email protected]