C K Wu, President of AIBA, made the announcement today and has immediately appointed current deputy executive director Bouzidi to the executive director role “in order to ensure that there is no interruption to the work" of world boxing's governing body. 

Bouzidi also remains chief executive of World Series of Boxing, the international competition that allows professional boxers to maintain Olympic eligibility.

AIBA has not specified its reason for dismissing the South Korean official Kim, who had held his post since November 2006. 

Wu was officially re-elected as the President of AIBA for a third four-year term in November and vowed to continue his radical overhaul of the sport.

He stated at the time that his main aim during his four-year mandate was to help try to establish the AIBA Pro Boxing (APB), which is designed to give the governing body control over professional boxing.

“It is time for AIBA and the world of boxing to move in the new direction and therefore I feel that new vision and leadership are paramount for us to achieve our four year plan, which was unanimously approved at the AIBA Congress in Jeju,” said Wu.

“I would like to thank Mr Kim for his contribution to the development of AIBA and the respectful relationships we have maintained during his eight year tenure."

Wu set out a list of priorities for his mandate which included ensuring more women were appointed to leadership positions in boxing and establishing a "boxer centred" organisation by opening the doors for boxers to take up leadership positions.

He also promised to expand the WSB competition and the APB, while at the same time increasing their commercial value and investing the revenues from elite competitions into developing future generations of boxers by targeting funds towards the grassroots.

Bouzidi, meanwhile,  was appointed deputy executive director of AIBA in February, charged with assisting Kim, while continuing to manage all aspects of the WSB.

The French-Algerian joined the AIBA in 2012 as chief operating officer of the WSB and became its chief executive in 2013.

Prior to joining WSB, he was general manager of French franchise Paris United, who were crowned WSB Team Champions in the inaugural 2010-2011 season.


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