2020 Olympic organisers working for boxing at Games despite freeze

AFP  |  Tokyo 

The organisers of Tokyo's 2020 said Saturday they would continue working to stage a tournament at the games despite a freeze by the

It said it wanted the sport included in 2020, but warned its inquiry could see boxing excluded.

On Saturday, 2020 said that while "official level contact" was halted by the IOC's decision, working-level contact with AIBA would continue.

"Working level contact is allowed, that's our understanding. So we will liaise, we will keep our collaboration, coordination," he told reporters after a meeting with the IOC's board in

"We will make efforts in preparation so that we have no delay in responding to the eventual decision which might come to implement the competition (of boxing)," he added.

"Venue preparation will proceed accordingly."

The IOC's final decision on whether to include boxing in the 2020 programme is not expected until next June, Muto said.

But he sought to reassure athletes that would be ready if the permitted a boxing tournament at the Games.

"Regarding the preparations, no worries, that's what I want to say to the athletes," he said.

The says it has concerns about the "governance, ethics and financial management" of AIBA, which last month elected as a controversial Uzbek linked to organised crime by the -- a claim he denies.

Qualifiers for the 2020 boxing tournament have been put on hold, the only sport not to have its qualifiers proved and a step described as "very significant" and possibly unprecedented.

Relations between the IOC and AIBA took a dive at the 2016 Rio when 36 officials and referees were suspended amid allegations of bout fixing.

Ties were further battered earlier this month when AIBA elected Gafur Rakhimov as leader, who strenuously rejects the charges from the

AIBA made a last-ditch bid to persuade the IOC that it had cleaned up its act, issuing a flurry of statements lauding its own efforts on financing and judging.

But while the IOC has acknowledged progress on judging, refereeing and anti-doping, it said there were still a "whole range" of issues on governance.

Boxing has an ancient Olympic tradition and has featured at every modern games since 1904, expect the 1912 Games in because Swedish law at the time banned the sport.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Sat, December 01 2018. 13:50 IST