Pichai quits Aiba to protect Thai fighters’ Tokyo dream
Thailand Boxing Association (TBA) president Pichai Chunhavajira has quit as member of the International Boxing Association (Aiba) executive committee.
He told his association’s annual assembly via a videoconference yesterday that he relinquished the Aiba position in March for fears his links to the international amateur boxing body could affect Thai fighters’ participation in the Olympics.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has stripped Aiba of the right to run boxing at the Tokyo Games due to serious mismanagement.
“The IOC does not recognise the
Aiba executive board and this [being its member] could affect our boxers at next year’s Olympics. Several other members have also quit the Aiba executive board,” Pichai said.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics has been postponed to next year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Pichai said once the government allows boxers to do contact practice, the TBA will call its athletes to train for an Olympic qualifying tournament in May.
Four Thai fighters have already qualified for the Tokyo Olympics. They are Chatchai-decha Butdee, Thitisan Panmod, Baison Manikon and Sudaporn Seesondee. The TBA hopes to get a few more tickets to the Games.
Boxing is one of Thailand’s most successful sports at the Olympics as its fighters have won four gold, four silver and six bronze medals.