Amateur boxing world governing body has provisionally stripped South Korea of its membership after accusing the nations former boxing chief of damaging its reputation. The International Boxing Association (AIBA), in a statement on its website dated Sunday, said it "has decided to provisionally exclude the Korean Amateur Boxing Federation (KABF)" as a member.
Unless South Korea secures reinstatement this month, its boxers will be unable to compete in the November Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. Its fighters would also be excluded from the Olympics, world championships and other international tournaments. The decision follows a long dispute between the world body and former KABF president Yoo Jae-Joon. The AIBA said the Korean boxing body has refused to name a successor to Yoo "in order to reshape the development of the sport of boxing in Korea".
"In addition, Mr. Yoo is continuously criticizing AIBA, the AIBA president and executive director in the media, which has caused serious damage to the image and reputation of AIBA and its members." The exclusion will be finalised at the AIBA general congress in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on November 1-2, according to an official from the Korean Olympic Committee quoted by Yonhap news agency.