NEWSLETTER EUBC by President Franco Falcinelli – October 2021
12 November 2021Dear Boxing Friends,
The month of October ended at our continent with an extraordinary competition hosted by the Serbian Boxing Federation which at Stark Arena in Belgrade effectively contributed to making our major international events organized by AIBA more pleasant and attractive.
The AIBA World Boxing Championships venue hosted 88 countries: 11 from Africa, 19 from America, 20 from Asia and 38 from Europe for a total of 510 participating boxers: 41 from Africa, 86 from Americas, 137 from Asia and from 246 Europe.
In my opinion, there are two main elements that characterized the greatest World boxing show in Belgrade: absence of Oceanian boxers and reduction in quality level of European boxers. It is evident from NOC Ranking that among top 20 National Federations only 10 belong to the European Continent, while the top technical level is conquered by Kazakhstan, followed by Cuba, USA and Russia. A particular note of merit should be referred to Japan that reached the historic milestone of 2 gold medals at the AIBA World Championships.
We must acknowledge our President’s Umar Kremlev a great innovative capacity both from a spectacular point of view and in the technical contents. Today our events have nothing to envy to the great professional boxing shows. The images that radiate on television channels and social networks are engaging and highly appreciated by our many fans.
The Serbian LOC expressed the utmost collaboration to make the visit, the transportation, the meetings and the competition venue suitable for the various needs of the participants and the large audience who applauded our brave boxers during their performances.
Congratulations also to the Technical Delegate Marko Marovic and to all the efficient ITOs who guaranteed compliance with the AIBA Technical and Competitions Rules.
The pressing action that President Kremlev and the entire AIBA Board of Directors are exercising in favour of the correct technical verdicts is giving good results. There are still too many “split decisions”, but overall there have been no scandalous results. The Referees and Judges selected for the World Championships have shown fidelity to the Code of Ethics and have issued verdicts consistent with the conduct of the bouts.
I would just like to express my personal interpretation on the role of the Draw Commissioner.
I am against the draw of the Referees and Judges. I do not consider the draw to be a guarantee of the moral integrity of the R&Js, but I consider it an obstacle to the better preparation of the juries and the direction of the bouts.
The Draw Commissioner must have the possibility of arranging, in compliance with neutrality, quality and correct alternation, the right positioning of the judges. We often hear it said: “they always put the same judge who is always against us”. Indeed, if a judge is several times in the minority in the evaluation of the boxer of the same Country, it is difficult to underestimate that opinion. Another aspect that must be definitely revised is the draw of the referees for the direction of the bout.
It is not aesthetically nice to see the super heavyweight category being refereed by a slim woman, albeit a very good one.
I am confident that together with the “Review of the Verdict”, which creates large operational difficulties for the vast number of protests presented, even those small inadequacies that make our beautiful sport unnecessarily more complex should be reviewed.
Congratulations
I would like to express my warmest congratulations to my close friend Eyup Gozgec for his brilliant reconfirmation at the helm of the Turkish Boxing Federation after having achieved extraordinary successes in International and Olympic boxing.
Eyup Gozgec can be said to be one of the greatest leaders of Turkish boxing of all time.
Youth European Championships in Budva
First of all, I would like to sincerely thank the President of Montenegro Boxing Association, Alexander Klemenko and his staff, for the authoritative organization of this edition of the EUBC Youth (M&W) Boxing Championships.
The European Youth Championships in Budva ended on 23 October and showned that the future of continental boxing is ensured by the young talents who have stood out during a fair and highly selective competition. The 38 National Federations presented with 339 boxers – 226 male and 113 women – meant that the European boxing movement, despite the terrible pandemic that has brought many countries to its knees, was not stopped and faced and beaten with extraordinary tenacity and determination COVID 19.
Unquestionable Russian supremacy with 21 medals of which 11 gold, followed by Ukraine with 14, but we greet with great pleasure the gold and silver of Greece, the bronze of Norway and the exploit of Spain which conquers for the first time fifth place in the Medal Ranking of the Championships. But it is also a great satisfaction to note that 27 countries finished on the podium.
Memories…
OIsvaldo Bisbal
Unfortunately, as I have already announced on this website, the death of Osvaldo Bisbal left all those who have known him in great pain. The human qualities and the long experience of national and international manager in Olympic and professional boxing cannot be forgotten. The minute of silence in his memory during the World Championships was a dutiful recognition of the long years that Osvaldo dedicated to the organization and development of Olympic boxing in Argentina, on the American continent and throughout the world.
We are close to his family, his friends and collaborators and we express deep gratitude for what he done for all of us.
Goodbye Osvaldo, rest in peace!
Roberto Rea
Another sad news that has affected Italian and European boxing as well as World professional boxing is the premature passing of Roberto Rea, IBF Board Member. Roberto was a dear friend for many years and a precious collaborator as Secretary General when I had the privilege of being elected to the Presidency of the Italian Boxing Federation. His contribution to international professional boxing was widely appreciated.
Goodbye Roberto, rest in peace!
Other International Tournament held in October:
5 – 10 October: VII Int. Boxing Tournament “Balkan” (Elite W), Sofia, Bulgaria
21 – 24 October: 5th Zagreb Open Tournament (Junior M/W, School-age), Zagreb, Croatia
Upcoming International Tournaments:
11 – 14 November: 50th Golden Gong Tournament (Elite M), Skopje, North Macedonia
22 – 28 November: Int. Boxing Tournament BOXAM (Y/J), Alicante, Spain
