The Ivory Coast Boxing Federation has become the latest organisation to join AIBA's HeadsUp! programme ©AIBA

The Ivory Coast Boxing Federation (FIB) has become the latest organisation to join the International Boxing Association’s (AIBA) HeadsUp! programme.

AIBA President CK Wu and FIB counterpart General Soumahoro Gaoussou signed the HeadsUp! charter during the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the African Boxing Confederation (AFBC) in Grand-Bassam in Ivory Coast.

Also in attendance were AFBC President Kelani Bayor, Ivory Coast Government officials and delegates from National Federations.

The campaign, launched at last October’s World Boxing Championships in Doha, focuses on training boxers to maintain a heads-up stance to help prevent concussions and cuts, based upon the four pillars of health, education, sport and sustainability.

It followed AIBA’s Executive Committee decision in 2012 to unanimously to end the use of headguards in all of their elite men's competitions, on the back of its Medical Commission’s study of 11,000 AIBA bouts around the world.

The FIB’s support for HeadsUp! comes after the adoption of the charter by the Cameroon Boxing Federation in March, during the AIBA African Olympic Qualification Event in the country’s capital Yaoundé. 

The AFBC, whose mission is to govern boxing in all of its forms, signed the charter early this year. 

AIBA President CK Wu met with Government officials during a visit to Ivory Coast
AIBA President CK Wu met with Government officials during a visit to Ivory Coast

Following the AFBC’s EGM, Wu met with Ivory Coast’s Minister of Sports and Leisure, François Albert Amichia.

In the presence of Bayor and Gaoussou, Wu congratulated Ivory Coast on the organisation of the EGM.

The entire AIBA and AFBC boxing delegation then met with the Ivory Coast’s Army Chief General Soumaïla Bakayoko, who outlined the positive values of boxing as well as several social projects undertaken by the FIB and their impact on local youngsters.

The conclusion of the EGM was marked by Bayor officially announcing the appointment of Gaoussou as an AFBC Executive Committee member.  

Wu lent his support to the new governance established by Bayor and stressed the importance of developing an even larger pool of well-trained officials, referees and judges and medical staff in a bid to provide the necessary conditions for the sustainable, steady growth of boxing in Africa.

The 69-year-old Taiwanese ended by ensuring Africa of his commitment to the continent, before declaring 2017 "the year of Africa".