The International Boxing Association (AIBA) has made grounds in restoring boxing's reputation and image with an independent investigation led by sports law expert Richard McLaren, AIBA president Umar Kremlev claimed in an interview with Xinhua here on Friday.

Commenting on the corruption allegations that have been compromising AIBA's reputation, Kremlev expressed his satisfaction with the first stage report by AIBA-hired independent experts from McLaren Global Sports Solutions published in late September.

McLaren's investigation confirmed the existence of a system of manipulation built for the boxing competitions in the Rio Olympics which relied upon the assistance of corrupted referees and judges and the Draw Commission, with the approval of AIBA former top officials.

Kremlev was happy to see the report revealing the perpetrators of wrongdoings and the violators of fair play and vowed to sanction all the people on the list.

"It is very important for us to make everything possible to ban these people for life from even touching boxing," he said. "Now we are waiting for the end of the investigation to undertake even more actions."

According to McLaren, who joined the AIBA media roundtable from online access, the referees of the ongoing 2021 AIBA Men's World Boxing Championship in Belgrade have to answer a list of computer-generated questions, which tests their reliability with the help of artificial intelligence.

Speaking about technical improvements, Kremlev commented that the McLaren's report has already helped to make boxing fairer, because "two people were banned" from the Belgrade tournament during the first stage of the preparations, and two more during the championship, with the "help of technology and investigation of McLaren's team".

"There will also be an analyzing process after the championship because we are fighting for fair results and if anyone has any kind of information about any manipulation or other issues, we agreed that those people should inform McLaren's team, and any allegations will be investigated," said the AIBA president.

After the corruption allegations over the organization of the boxing tournament in Rio, the Tokyo Olympic boxing matches were taken from AIBA and organized by special operation group of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Kremlev said that AIBA followed all the instructions and recommendations, expecting to regain the IOC's trust.

"Our task is to become a transparent and honest organization and to make boxing a clean sport," said Kremlev. "As for the Olympics, it is a decision by the IOC. Of course, I am optimistic looking forward to Paris 2024. We are boxers and when we go into a fight we always tend to win."

Kremlev also stressed that actions speak louder than words. The AIBA helped 20 national federations to participate in the World Championships and offered prize money to the title winners for the first time in amateur boxing competitions.

Kremlev said that the COVID-19 pandemic influenced boxing a lot as sportsmen did not have access to gyms, and it's AIBA's duty to help national associations and sportsmen to participate in tournaments like the World Championships which are organized according to medical protocols.

The AIBA World Championship in Belgrade will conclude on November 6. More than 600 boxers from over 100 associations gathered to compete in 13 categories. 

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