In the midst of an organizational crisis, the president of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) is fighting back.
After AIBA employees were shut out of their offices on Wednesday, according to an AFP report, Wu Ching-kuo, who has been president of boxing's global amateur governing body since November 2006, told The Japan Times the matter is far from finished.
"AIBA condemns in the strongest possible terms the latest tactics of its Executive Committee, under the unrecognized 'Interim Management Committee,' to attempt to illegally seize control of the organization's headquarters in Lausanne on the morning of 26 July," Wu told this newspaper on Thursday. "Their actions have not only prejudiced the operation of AIBA and the livelihoods of all of its employees, but threaten the forthcoming AIBA World Championships in Hamburg (starting on Aug. 25), undermine its capacity to fulfill its duty towards its 201 National Federations and finally contravene AIBA statutes and Swiss law.
"A representative of this committee has since been removed from the premises by Swiss police, but AIBA's headquarters must now remain closed pending the decision of the relevant authorities."
Wu, an IOC member since 1988, and AIBA leadership face seemingly daunting challenges moving ahead after he received a "motion of no confidence," according to published reports at a time of "financial turmoil," as described by The Irish Times.
"As AIBA President, abiding laws and regulations is the basis to perform my duty," Wu said in a statement. "The so-called 'Interim Management Committee' violates Swiss laws and AIBA Statues. Related issues will be examined in the coming Extraordinary Congress."