BBCNEWSNIGHT SCANDAL CLAIM AGAINST IBA IS IMMOVABLE. IF IT IS UNTRUE IBA HAS TO PROVE ITS INNOCENCE THROUGH THE COURTS

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 AFTER A YEAR LONG INVESTIGATION BY THE PRESTIGIOUS TV BBCNEWSNIGHT  ALLEGED INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR INTERNATIONAL BOXING, NOW KNOWN AS IBA AND RESPONSIBLE FOR ADMINISTERING BOXING IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES, AND ITS AFFILIATE COMPANY WORLD SERIES BOXING (WSB,) OFFERED TWO 2012 OLYMPIC BOXING GOLD MEDALS TO OIL RICH AZERBAIJAN IN RETURN FOR CLOSE TO S$10 MILLION. LAST NIGHT THE ACCUSATION RETURNED TO BBC TV SCREENS WHEN BBCNEWSNIGHT REPEATED THEIR ALLEGATION. 

THIS HAS TO MEAN THAT IBA/WSB HAS NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO ADVISE BBCNEWSNIGHT THAT UNLESS IT AGREES  TO ACCEPT IT MADE A MISTAKE AND APOLOGISES, IBA/WSB WILL INSTIGATE REMEDIAL LEGAL ACTION AGAINST BBCNEWNSIGHT. BOXING ACTION HAS SPOKEN TO LAWYERS AND HGHLY REGARDED BOXING PEOPLE, AND NONE IS ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHY IBA/WSB AFTER INSTRUCTING SOLICITORS CARTER RUCK EARLY THEY HAVE NOT INSTRUCTED THEM TO SEND THIS ULTIMATUM BBCNEWSNIGHT.The International Olympic Committee (IOC) should not need to be reminded it is in the public domain they had requested from BBCNewsnight full details of their investigation. This request was fully complied with and IOC promised an immediate investigation into the extremely serious accusation by BBCNewsnight.For IOC for IOC to want the full BBCNewsnight investigation dossier has to imply they were seeking to become involved. Unfortunately There has been not been one word on the result of the IOC the investigation promise and after one year has passed it is still awaited.In the meantime IBA held an internal inquiry and cleared themselves of any wrongdoing. It would have been astonishing beyond words for IBA/WSB to declare themselves corrupt regardless of the evidence against them that might have been uncovered.If people accused of a criminal activity were allowed to make a final judgementon their guilt how many prison cells would be occupied? Probably one modest size prison would be sufficient for the whole of the country and even this one prison would have empty cells?  In an extreme case had Usama Bin Laden been allowed to investigate his own case it is a guarantee he would ‘not be sleeping with the fishes.’It is difficult to understand how IBA could conduct their own investigation without the full report on the investigation made by BBCNewsnight being available to them. Boxing Action is unable to find any reference to BBCNewsnight allowing any other than IOC to view their dossier, and this includes IBA, being allowed to have sight of the details of their investigation.In September 2011, BBCNewsnight broadcast and revealed on TV the result of its year long investigation. Their allegation was transparently clear and it alleged  that an, “anonymous investor” from Azerbaijan had agreed to invest US$10 million dollars  in WSB the Company said by BBCNewsnight to be a near bankrupt Company, in exchange for the guarantee of two Olympic boxing Gold Medals.The investigation included a volatile quote from an anonymous source whom the BBC described as an “insider” and the allegation was: Ivan boasted to a few of us that there was no need to worry about World Series Boxing having the coin to pay its bills. As long as the Azeri’s got their medals the WSB would have the cash.Last year, Ms. Anna Adams, a reporter for BBC’s “NewsnIght,” spoke with Ivan Khodabakhsh, the CEO. of WSB.Against a backdrop of posters claiming, “The Dream Place For Boxers,” Ms. Adams  conducted the interview with Mr. Khodabakhsh.The setting may have been “The Dream Place” for some boxers but no doubt Mr. Khodabahksh has enjoyed better dreams in other places.Ms. Adams revealed in the course of the BBCNewsnight investigation there was an allegation that IBA/WSB had conspired to fix boxing results in the London 2012 Olympic Games.She said to Mr. Khodabaksh “You promised Azerbaijan two gold medals at London 2012 in exchange for ten million dollars.”Mr. Khodabakhsh’s indignant response was the contradictory statement, “First of all, no comment,” he said. “Secondly, absolutely a lie.”For an 'investor' to decide to invest a sum as large as nearly US$10 million paper trail that should clearly indicate there exists a paper trail involving the principals, lawyers, accountants, banks representing the parties . This would be a mandatory commercial pathway. it is unheard of for this not to happen.  We now come to London 2012 London Games and the refereeing of a bout between Magomed Abdulhamidov from Azerbaijan and Satoshi Shimizu, from Japan.In this bout  the refereeing was so blatantly bad and the judgement made by the five ringside judges so controversial, the Japanese team filed a complaint.  The verdict of the Judges was overturned and the referee sent home in.It was pity he was sent out of the country because he might have wanted to be interviewed by the media and give his side of the story.Was it arrogance or something much worse that following the BBCNewsnight allegation  the referee and judges for all contests featuring Azeri boxers  in the London 2022 Games were not hand picked and known to be completely reliable?In the third round of the contest between Magomed Abdulhamidov and Satoshi Shimizu, with about a minute left of the round, Magomed was under pressure from Satoshi when suddenly he began to wave his right hand to presumably indicate some form of distress. The referee Ishanguly Meretnyyazov, from Turkmenistan, stopped the bout  and then for some inconceivable reason he made an adjustment to the headguard of the Azeri boxer.After more pressure from the Japanese boxer and punches on the target area, Magomed was on the canvas floor. Remarkably the referee did not commence the 10 count but instead he asked the Azeri to stand-up, which he obligingly did and the bout was allowed to continue. This happened no less on five more occasions in the final minute remaining of the round, yet on each occasion there was no count, instead the referee would request the Azeri boxer to stand-up to which he always obliged and the contests was allowed to continue without one standing count taking place.Was the involvement of an Azeri in such a badly flawed refereed and judged contest a coincidence or something else?The fight was telecast in America by NBC and their commentator the usually placid Bob Papa said in an angry tone, “This referee never administered an eight-count for an injured boxer. He should be eliminated from the Olympics.”Fiery Teddy Atlas, the former trainer of Mike Tyson, now NBC’s colour commentator exclaimed, : “IMMEDIATELY!” He then added the more caustic comments, "That’s what the referee wanted to do,” Mr. Atlas shouted. “He wanted to save that fighter!”Is anybody arguing?On appeal the decision was awarded to the Japanese boxer and the referee told to pack his bag and go home.It appears the Judges appear to have been absolved from any guilt, yet it was their decision that made the Japanese boxer the loser and the Azeri boxer the winner.It would be interesting to know in words their reasoning.Surely there wil be a full investigation hearing after the Olympics and we await the details on the judgement hearings on the referee and the Judges verdict by IBA.Clearly the referee has no future as a boxing referee.  He has been deemed to have been seriously at fault in failing to implement even elementary interpretations of the rules of boxing at the Olympic Games therefore it is obvious he cannot be trusted in the future. This must transparently be declared by IBA.While this is a shameful way for an IBA official, or officials, to behave, and IBA must exact any just punishment or punishments on any guilty party, it should not be lost on IOC this disreputable conduct happened in the Olympic Games and they have every right to monitor any proceeding instigated by IBA and the judgement, or judgements, they render.In the meantime we await with interest the investigation findings of IOC on the BBCNewsnight close to US$10 sale of two 2012 Olympic Gold Medals conspiracy allegation. ~