Boxing tournament at Rio 2016 Olympic Games / DAN SHERIDAN / INPHO / PRESSE SPORTS

Hidden documents and corruption attempts at the highest level are some of the reasons for the heaviest blow that boxing could take in its 115-year history as part of the Olympic Games. The fate of the sport will be decided on March 27 in Lausanne by the IOC.

Three days before the end of the boxing olympic tournament of Rio-2016, after a public outcry over the outcome of several bouts, the executive director of AIBA (Amateur boxing international federation), Karim Bouzidi, was removed from his operational control along with the most experienced referees and judges (R&Js), the « 5-stars », the only ones employed by AIBA.

Le Monde and Bulgaria Today have read the detailed internal investigation led by AIBA after the Games, which was never published. Along with internal e-mails from AIBA and a phone conversation recorded during the Summer Olympics, they show the strong suspicion surrounding Karim Bouzidi and the 5-stars R&Js.

Karim Bouzidi refused to testify to the commission, which had little means to investigate. Despite numerous sollicitations in the past weeks, he refused to answer Le Monde and Bulgaria Today’s questions.

No evidence of manipulation, says AIBA

According to several sources close to AIBA, despite being forbidden by the IOC to be engaged in AIBA operations, the Frenchman is now an adviser to elected president Gafur Rakhimov - who left his seat last week without resigning. He was seen at the AIBA congress in November 2018 and at the women world championships last year, casually chatting with Tom Virgets.

Asked if Mr. Bouzidi, who was ousted of the 2016 Summer Olympics, was now acting as a lobbyist for Gafur Rakhimov, Tom Virgets said : « We cannot ban an individual from being at activities. If he is lobbying for Gafur Rakhimov, I guess he is doing it on his own accord. » He confirmed having conversations with Mr. Bouzidi « about professional boxing and WSB ».

AIBA’s investigation committee stops short of accusing the Frenchman of manipulating the tournament, citing a lack of evidence, but « did uncover evidence that the Executive Director used his authority to get referee and judges changes made in some bouts ».

When asked by Le Monde and Bulgaria Today about the conclusions of his investigation, the head of the committe, Tom Virgets said : « Were there wrongdoings taking place ? Yes. Was there evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt ? No. » Tom Virgets is now executive director of AIBA.

AIBA president suspected France and Uzbekistan

AIBA president at the time, IOC member C.K. Wu, had less doubts as he told Tom Virgets, in an e-mail dated November 16th : « We now clearly understand that it is highly possible that the Executive Director, with cooperation from the Sports Director, influenced the 5 Stars R&Js’ decisions in bouts by favoring certain NFs (National Federations). »

According to several testimonies, some 5 stars R&Js would tell a select group of other referees which way they should go for some bouts.

No evidence of corruption was given to AIBA’s investigation committee. But, separately, Le Monde and Bulgaria Today were handed a recording of a phone conversation between one of the 5 stars R&Js and a member of the Mongolian staff, where the latter was asked for 250.000 dollars if he wanted his boxer to qualify for an Olympic final. According to our source, the money was never given and his fighter lost its semi-final to a Frenchman the next day, after a close fight.

Three current French boxing officials interviewed these last months admit they felt like France was among the countries protected by their countryman. « It is an open secret within French boxing », one said. C.K. Wu felt the same, as he ordered Tom Virgets to specifically look into the bouts of France and Uzbekistan.

« There was always a concern that was surrounding the countries of France, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, said Tom Virgets. But I think part of that was because France was having an outstanding tournament and Karim coming from France. But quite frankly, I watched all of the French bouts, and they won their bouts. »

« Our results were honest », says French federation

French boxing, who felt their boxers were robbed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and even more so in London, had an historic high tally of 6 medals in Rio, including two gold for the now-married Tony Yoka (+91 kgs) and Estelle Mossely (-60 kgs).

No French boxer was involved in a scandalous decision, though. « But all close bouts were ours », says a member of the Federation with a perfect knowledge of olympic boxing and its refereeing.

« We did not rob our results in Rio, they were honest, French boxing federation president, Andre Martin says. We did know Bouzidi, but we did not make any deal with him. That’s not our type. »

Kevinn Rabaud, the technical director of French boxing during the Rio Games, worked with Karim Bouzidi in the past when Mr. Bouzidi was a manager of the Paris franchise for World Series of Boxing (WSB), whose head coach was Mr. Rabaud. He denies all claims of favoritism towards French boxers and explains there was a lobbying strategy between the London and Rio Olympics, meant to avoid such unfair treatment he thinks France suffered from in 2008 and 2012. It involved taking part to AIBA’s competitions, hosting tournaments in France and showcasing French athletes in competitions such as APB and WSB, because the referees there would most probably be refereeing the Olympics. « When a bout is very close, it helps if the athlete is well known and alreay won a title. In Rio, we had guarantees because of our boxers being well known », he said.