Rio judges face expulsion

THE entire group of 36 referees and judges (R&Js) at the Rio 2016 Olympics could be permanently banned from officiating in boxing matches.

The International Boxing Association R&J Commission – after a meeting in Assisi, Italy, from March 9 to 12 – have endorsed the expulsion of all 36 officials at the 31st Olympiad.

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) executive will now rule on the recommendation.

The R&J Commission, who want to “redeem the brand of boxing”, have strongly recommended that the executive implement their decision.

Boxing in Rio was hit by a number of scandalous results, not least being Michael Conlan’s defeat to Russia’s Vladimir Nikitin and Katie Taylor’s loss to Finland’s Mira Potkonen.

All 36 officials, including Tyrone’s Michael Gallagher, were sidelined pending an investigation by the AIBA into officiating at the Games.

The investigation proved inclusive. However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) warned the AIBA recently that unless it addressed concerns about finance, governance and officiating it could lose its Olympic status.

Thomas Bach, president of the IOC, said they were extremely worried about AIBA governance and that they have not ruled out the possibility of match-fixing in Rio.

Joe Hennigan, Irish boxing team manager at Rio, alleged in his Games report that the result of the Conlan-Nikitin fight was preordained.

The world governing body for amateur boxing has until the end of April to supply the IOC with a report addressing all issues of IOC concern.