AIBA President C K Wu has visited Iran to discuss strategies towards building greater visibility for the sport in the country ©AIBA

International Boxing Association (AIBA) President C K Wu has visited Iran to discuss strategies towards building greater visibility for the sport in the country and the potential for an increased role of the National Federation within AIBA activities, including the hosting of future international events.

Wu was a guest of Iran Boxing Federation President Ahmad Nategh Noori, who underlined his commitment to the development of women’s boxing as a central element of the National Federation’s approach.

The 69-year-old Taiwanese also met Iran’s Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Mahmoud Goudarzi, and the President of Iran’s National Olympic Committee, Kioomars Hashemi, with whom the creation of an Iranian boxing academy was discussed.

Wu said he would welcome the deeper involvement of the Iran Boxing Federation after meeting with several Iranian referees and judges, emphasising the importance of ongoing training and career progression in line with the full pathway currently developed by AIBA.

AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) star Ehsan Rouzbahani is currently the sole Iranian representative to have qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, however, two more qualification events to the men’s competition still remain in the coming months.

The AIBA World Olympic Qualification Event is scheduled to take place in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku from June 14 to 26, while an APB-World Series of Boxing Olympic Qualification Tournament is set for either the end of June or the beginning of July.

International Olympic Committee members Irena Szewinska (left) and Syed Sahid Ali (right) have praised AIBA's efforts to promote gender equality
International Olympic Committee members Irena Szewinska (left) and Syed Sahid Ali (right) have praised AIBA's efforts to promote gender equality ©AIBA

With the 2016 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships currently being held here in Kazakhstan’s capital, Wu’s fellow International Olympic Committee (IOC) members Irena Szewinska and Syed Sahid Ali are present this week to lend their support to the event.

With gender equality high on the IOC’s Agenda 2020 reforms, the tournament is looking to build on women’s boxing's development since making its Olympic debut at London 2012.

"I think the fact that they (AIBA) are having this Women’s Championships is going to go a long way, especially given the way it’s been organised and the interest that the various countries have shown," said Ali, a former Pakistan polo international.

"That by itself gives testament to the fact that women are taking more part in the Olympic Movement."

Poland’s Szewinska, a three-time Olympic gold medal-winning sprinter and a member of the IOC’s Women in Sport Commission, also gave praise to the competition which has attracted 285 boxers from 64 countries. 

"The IOC and all its members believe there should be more women involved in sport as participants, as officials and so on," she said.

"So I’m very glad that I’m here and I have possibility to see the World Championships in boxing for women.

"I have seen that it’s a very high level of competition and I’m very glad that so many women would like to take part in such a great competition."