Latest update December 4th, 2024 2:40 AM
Ninvalle challenges AIBA action as turmoil in the organisation brews
Steve Ninvalle
In yesterday’s edition of the Kaieteur News, our sports pages (pg 28) carried an article written by Liam Morgan of the Insidethegames website – stating that the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation has launched an attempt to postpone the upcoming International Boxing Association (AIBA) Presidential election, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has announced.
In a statement, the CAS revealed the KBF had filed an “urgent application for provisional measures seeking a stay of the AIBA elections”.
Now Kaieteur Sport has learnt that our own Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) President, Steve Ninvalle, has written to AIBA through his Lawyer K.A. Juman Yassin questioning his controversial exclusion from the list of candidates campaigning for the post of Vice President of the sporting body.
Kaieteur Sport was able to see copies of two correspondences between Ninvalle and AIBA and the subsequent challenge by Senior Counsel Juman Yassin which indicated that they will approach the Court of Arbitration for Sport if a timely and favourable response was not forthcoming.
In a letter dated October 12, AIBA had written to Ninvalle acknowledging receipt of emails sent by him on October 8 and 9. They informed that during the nomination process Ninvalle was provisionally suspended for certain breaches. Those breaches stemmed from the Guyanese questioning certain decisions made by AIBA in relation to governing of the Caribbean Region without any consultation with the appointed Caribbean Representative. His queries did not go well with some quarters and he was handed a suspension which he challenged.
That challenge resulted in the suspension being rescinded and charges being dismissed. However, they (AIBA) are contending that due to the ‘unwarranted’ suspension he was not eligible to be nominated despite gaining more than the necessary support to run for the post.
This situation mirrors the situation by Kazakhstan’s Serik Konakbayev over his exclusion from the list of candidates for President. Mr. Konakbayev through his Federation is now seeking a stay of the November elections.
Ninvalle has moved through his Counsel to get the matter amicably settled or have the CAS intervene. Juman Yassin has since dispatched correspondence to Jost Schmid, AIBA Elections Committee Chairman, citing their administrative blunders for the late response by them to Ninvalle and based on the dismissing of the charges against him, he should not be held liable and his nomination not accepted.
The learned attorney, who happens to be the President of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) and our Rep to the IOC, challenged the decision against his client in relation to Article 17.5 on the issue of election to the executive committee. Based on the article, Juman Yassin contended that it does not preclude Ninvalle from being part of the nomination and election process, but rather relates to an official being barred from involvement in competitions. He further noted that the then suspension, based on the article in question, only halted his client’s involvement in AIBA affairs and not his duties as head of the GBA or from communicating with the governing or other related bodies.
Juman Yassin stated in his missive that the AIBA decision to disqualify Ninvalle’s nomination on the current grounds was unjust, unfair and not in conformity with the Statutes of Regulations of AIBA. He requested the Committee revisit their decision and respond within a few days or they will take up their grievance with the CAS.
AIBA is currently being threatened with exclusion from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic programme.
Mr. Konakbayev plans to stand against interim President Gafur Rakhimov for the top job at AIBA.
Once cleared by CAS when they announce their decision on his matter on October 30, the Kazakhstan boss is likely to be welcomed and supported by AIBA’s members after increasing concerned of the sport being dropped from Tokyo 2020 by the IOC.
According to Liam Morgan of the Insidethegames website, the potential election of Rakhimov, who is on a United States Treasury Department sanctions list as “one of Uzbekistan’s leading criminals”, is among several concerns the IOC has with AIBA’s governance.
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