Int'l boxing body penalizes S. Korea's boxing chief

SEOUL, Aug. 3 (Yonhap) -- An international boxing governing body suspended
Seoul's boxing association chief for 18 months and fined him 2,000 Swiss francs
(US$1,800), holding him responsible for South Korean players accused of fudging
their weigh-in at an international competition, officials here said Monday.
The International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) did not say whether South
Koreans would still be able to participate in the World Championship scheduled in
Italy next month, according to the officials at the Korean Olympic Committee
(KOC).
AIBA notified the Korean Amateur Boxing Federation over the weekend that it was
penalizing federation chief Yoo Jae-joon for the weigh-in falsification by South
Korean boxers at a world junior championship in April.
Yoo was also held accountable for sending an unregistered team doctor to a
competition in May.
The decision followed a two-day Seoul visit by an AIBA inspection team last month
to look into the allegations. The international governing body had banned South
Korean players and staff from competitions in May after the allegations were
first raised.
The KOC has been appealing to the international body to allow South Korean boxers
to compete in the upcoming tournament, regardless of the punishment of the boxing
chief.
"The KOC believes that none of the players should be disadvantaged in
participating in competitions," an official said. "If they are not allowed to
participate, then we will try to resolve it through other means, including
seeking help from the International Olympic Committee."
South Korea has already submitted a roster of 10 players and four staff members
to the organizers of next month's world championship.
brk@yna.co.kr
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