Bans reduced

Press, 7 December 1988, Page 42

Bans reduced

Five South Korean boxing officials suspended from office indefinitely following incidents at the Olympic Games in Seoul, have had their bans reduced to two years by the International Amateur Boxing Association. But the A.1.8.A., at a two-day conference here before the executive committee meet in Nairobi next March, also ruled that South Korea cannot stage any international competition for a year. The five, including assistant coaches Lee Hong-soo and Park Kyong-soo, will not be permitted to hold office until the end of 1991, and no international competitions will be allowed to be staged in South Korea until the end of 1989.

The punishment comes in the light of a riot during the Olympics in which New Zealand referee Keith Walker was attacked by a crowd of Korean officials, aides and arena staff, who were angered by the points decision which went against their bantamweight Byun Jong-il in his bout with Aleksandr Hristov of Bulgaria. Walker was unhurt, but shaken, as the mob threw punches, aimed kicks and pulled his hair, hurling chairs into the ring in protest. The A.1.8.A. immedi-

ately suspended the five Korean officials indefinitely. The president, Anwar Chowdhry, of Pakistan, called the riot: “the most disgraceful incident I have seen in boxing and I have no word to defend it.”

The Olympics were also marred by allegations of fight-rigging. The American lightmiddleweight, Roy Jones jnr, lost the gold medal to South Korea’s Park Sihun, 3-2, on points in one of the most surprising decisions of the tournament, provoking allegations by the Americans of bribery by Korean officials. By way of vindication, the executive board of A.1.8.A. later awarded Jones the Vai Barker Cup for the most outstanding boxer of the Olympics. Meanwhile, the A.1.8.A. has also decided to insist that a new type of glove be worn in international competition next year, in a bid to cut down on injuries. The glove has special padding, which lessens the force of impact by about 20 per cent.

There had been fears that there was growing pressure on the 1.0. C. to drop boxing from the Olympics as it is considered too dangerous. NZPA.