AIBA approves recent PBF elections

Doda accepted as president by international boxing body.

KARACHI:

The International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) has accepted Doda Khan Bhutto as the President of the Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) recognising the controversial elections of the body which were held last year in December.

Doda and secretary Akram Khan have been conflicting on the matter for a while in an attempt to push each other out of the federation. The elections were staged on December 20 without the approval of the general assembly and the permission of the PBF secretary, who was Akram at that time.



The email sent by AIBA president Ching-Kuo Wu to Doda read: “This letter is to inform you that following recent communication from the International Olympic Committee as well as from the recognized Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), in accordance with Article 34 of the AIBA Bylaws, AIBA has decided to approve and recognise the results of the Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) elections which took place on December 20, 2012. This has thus endorsed your re-election as president and the election of Mr Iqbal Hussain as secretary general.”

An official from Akram’s camp said that AIBA’s recognition has come too early as there is a stay order against the recent elections and thus the matter would only be decided in the court.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10^th, 2013.