AIBA give Conlan maximum fine for Olympic rant
The International Boxing Association (AIBA) have slapped Mick Conlan with their largest possible fine for his Rio outburst.
The Lausanne-based outfit have ordered the 2015 World Amateur champion to pay 10,000 swiss francs (€9,335) as punishment for his sensational post-fight interview after he was adjudged to have lost to Vladimir Nikitin at the Olympic bantamweight quarter finals.
The AIBA have ruled that the emotional, expletive-laden rant has “adversely affected the reputation or interests of the AIBA.”
Live on RTÉ television, an enraged Conlan said “they’re f*cking cheats. They’re paying everybody. They’re cheating b*stards.”
“They’re known for being cheats and they’ll always be cheats.Amateur boxing stinks from the core right to the top. I’m not a loser, I’m a winner — and today just shows how corrupt this organisation is.”
The three-man AIBA Disciplinary Commission acknowledged that that Belfast man was ‘extremely distraught’ after the bout – which the boxing world almost unanimously felt he win – but have still decided to sanction him for his reaction under Article 6.4 of their Disciplinary Code.
Disparagement of AIBA’s Reputation and Interests:
6.4.1 Any action which is held by the Disciplinary Commission to have adversely affected the reputation or interests of AIBA, WSB, its Confederations or National Federations, either internally amongst its National Federations and Confederations or externally amongst the general public or which has harmed the image of boxing generally.
Conlan has since turned professional under Top Rank in America, so the AIBA no longer hold any jurisdiction over him – something they also acknowledge. Indeed the 25 year old told Kevin Byrne of The Sun that he would not be paying the fine.
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Joe O’Neill and Gavan Casey look ahead to 2017 in episode 1 of The Irish Boxing Show
