Will research feasibility of appeals in future: AIBA

Roundly criticised for the poor judging in the Rio Olympics, the International Boxing Association today said it will explore the "feasibility" of allowing appeals in future but has decided to reintegrate the 36 referees and judges, who were suspended after the Games.
"There is no evidence that the reallocation of medal rankings is required for Rio 2016, but AIBA will be researching the feasibility of processes for the appeal of decisions in the future," the world body said in a statement.
The statement comes after the Special Investigation Committee (SIC), appointed by AIBA, concluded its investigation into the Rio fiasco, the most dramatic point of which was Irish star Michael Conlan's expletive-laden outburst against officials after losing a controversial bout.

Currently, there is no mechanism to overturn a controversial decision barring technical reasons.
Starting in mid-September, the investigation took place in two phases across four months, with over 50 interviews conducted during that time.
"AIBA defends the integrity of its expert R&Js who operate in difficult, subjective circumstances, but we have shown that we are also not afraid of making difficult decisions for the good of boxing. An unwelcome axis of influence and sole decision-making had been created and used by former Senior Management that led to a lack of due process being carried out," AIBA President Dr Ching Kuo-Wu said in a statement.

The AIBA said it would try to "decentralise the decision-making and re-establish our procedures".

"The SIC have conducted a thorough investigation and many of their recommendations, including the disbanding of the 5-star R&J structure and placing control of the FOP back in the hands of the Tournament Supervisor, have already been put into place. These actions will ensure even greater consistency and transparency in our officiating as we head into the new Olympic Cycle," said Ching-Kuo Wu.
AIBA said the SIC found that "unprofessional relationships within AIBA had created an atmosphere of collusion between senior management and the Five-Star R&Js that undermined the organisation and had a negative impact on its operating efficiency".

As a result, the Five-star R&J system has already been disbanded with the unanimous agreement of the R&J Commission.
The five-star judges panel was constituted in 2012 and these officials had more executive powers to conduct events.
Improvements to the in-competition administration of officials have already been trialled and approved for tournaments in 2017 after a trial run at the Youth World Championships in St Petersburg last year.
"The R&J Draw Commission has been removed and an automated Swiss Timing system will assign officials to matches, with all five Judges' scorecards now used to determine the winner of a bout," the AIBA stated.

"Changes to the Field of Play will now give R&Js the best possible environment in which to operate and be evaluated, while the Executive Director, or any AIBA staff member, will no longer have any role in the FOP," it added.