With more than 30 years of experience in the sport, Abakarov is now the first vice-president to be named and will have a specific role in collaborating with the IBA's Confederations.
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The International Boxing Association (IBA) has nominated a new vice-president with close ties to President Umar Kremlev, raising concerns about a lack of openness and the organisation becoming dominated by Russia. Abdulmutalim Abakarov, a former member of the Russian Boxing Federation’s Executive Committee, was chosen by the IBA Board of Directors on Kremlev’s recommendation. A new clause voted at the IBA Congress in Abu Dhabi last month enabled Kremlev to nominate up to four vice-presidents who will not be directors. With more than 30 years of experience in the sport, Abakarov is now the first vice-president to be named and will have a specific role in collaborating with the IBA’s Confederations.
Abakarov was featured on a list of almost 600 names published by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in May 2021, shortly after he became a citizen of Serbia, that imposed restrictions on individuals it was said presented a security danger to the country. But after it was discovered he had been added by mistake, Abakarov was formally removed off the list in December 2021. Among the boxers Abakarov has coached is Azerbaijan’s Albert Selimov, who won the under-60kg gold medal at the inaugural European Games in Baku in 2015. Abubakar, the son of Abakarov, is a well-known Brazilian jiu-jitsu athlete and the 2019 World Championship gold medalist.
The nomination of another Russian to a top post at the IBA, on the other hand, will do little to calm the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The organization had warned IBA last month that it was ignoring severe governance issues and said it had no true interest in the sport of boxing and the fighters, but is only interested in its own power.” Furthermore, the IOC is concerned that it will continue to depend on a corporation which is essentially controlled by the Russian Government as a result of the renewal of IBA’s $50 million (£41 million/€47 million) deal with state energy provider Gazprom.
“The IBA Board of Directors unanimously decided to appoint Mr. Abakarov as vice-president and in full accordance with IBA’s statutes. Mr. Abakarov is not a sanctioned individual and is a long-time sports administrator and a welcome addition to the IBA boxing family and its senior leadership team,” an IBA spokesperson said to insidethegames.
