IOC sanctions three boxers for betting at Rio Olympics

LONDON — Three Olympic boxers — including one who bet on himself to lose — received "severe reprimands" on Wednesday (Thursday Philippine time) for betting on fights during last month's Rio de Janeiro Games.

Ireland's Michael Conlan and Steve Donnelly and Britain's Antony Fowler were censured by the International Olympic Committee for violating anti-betting rules.

None of the three won medals in Rio, although Irish amateur champion Conlan lost in the quarterfinals in a disputed decision to Russia's Vladimir Nikitin. Donnelly bet against himself in a firstround bout but still won the fight.

The IOC said the three boxers received only reprimands — rather than retroactive disqualifications or bans — because a disciplinary panel determined "there was no intent to manipulate any event" and the athletes have apologized.

Under IOC rules, athletes and officials are barred from betting on Olympic events and required to report any approach or suspicion of fixing.

All three boxers acknowledged they had made a mistake and "regretted it," the IOC said. They must undergo an "educational program" in order to be eligible to compete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the committee said.

The IOC also issued simple reprimands to the Irish and British national Olympic committees for "not having properly informed" their athletes of the betting rules. They were told to ensure that their athletes at future games go through a "complete education" process on the rules on betting and match-fixing.

The IOC also urged the international boxing association, AIBA, to make its own rules compliant with Olympic regulations and to put anti-betting education programs in place.

The 24-year-old Conlan is the most prominent of the three boxers sanctioned by the IOC. He won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics and claimed the bantamweight world title in 2015.

In Rio, Conlan reacted furiously to his loss to the bloodied Nikitin, stripping off his vest and making obscene gestures at the judges from the ring. He also made widereaching claims of corruption against AIBA and vowed never to fight as an amateur again.

(AP)