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BBC: AZERBAIJAN PAID TO FIX 2012 OLYMPIC BOXING MEDALS
PanARMENIAN.Net
October 13, 2011 - 13:32 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - BBC Newsnight has uncovered evidence of secret
payments of millions of dollars from Azerbaijan to international
boxing organization World Series Boxing (WSB).
According to the report, whistleblowers say that WSB's chief claimed
the money was in return for a guarantee that Azerbaijani fighters
would win two boxing gold medals at the London 2012 Olympics.
The boxing organizer at the Olympics, AIBA, admits an Azeri national
paid $9m (£5.9m) to one of their competitions. But they deny any deal
to fix medals. Lawyers for the International Amateur Boxing Association
(AIBA) told the BBC that any such allegation was "preposterous and
utterly untrue".
That view was backed by AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu, who told
Newsnight that the claims were "totally untrue and ludicrous", adding
that "WSB is conducted in a totally transparent way".
However, he said that AIBA had a zero tolerance policy on corruption
and that he would conduct an immediate investigation into the
allegations.
Whistleblowers say a senior WSB member said gold medals had been
promised. Whistleblowers from inside boxing approached Newsnight with
allegations about the Chief Operating Officer of the AIBA's World
Series Boxing (WSB), Ivan Khodabakhsh.
WSB had run into financial difficulties in America and was in need
of funding.
The insiders said Mr Khodabakhsh told them that a secret deal had been
done to secure funding from Azerbaijan in return for manipulation of
the Olympic boxing tournament to guarantee gold medals for Azerbaijani
fighters.
One insider told Newsnight: "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 Azeris got their medals, WSB would have
the cash."
Another said that Mr Khodabakhsh came in and said: "We are safe now -
Azerbaijan came in - we have to give them medals for that."
"He was talking about gold medals in London in return for millions
of dollars of secret payments," the insider added. "Medals are being
sold so blatantly it's amazing."
But Mr Khodabakhsh told Newsnight that claims that there was any deal
with Azerbaijan were "an absolute lie".
"I deny that I have offered anyone two gold medals or have any
understanding that anybody else has offered two gold medals to
Azerbaijan," he added.
AIBA has previously claimed that the money for WSB America came from
a private Swiss company, but documents obtained by Newsnight show
communications between Mr Khodabakhsh, AIBA executive director Ho
Kim and Azerbaijan's Minister for Emergency Situations Kamaladdin
Heydarov about an investment agreement for a $10m loan.
These include an e-mail from Mr Khodabakhsh to the ministry in
Azerbaijan with the following request: "Please transfer the investment
money soonest possible to the WSB America account."
PanARMENIAN.Net
October 13, 2011 - 13:32 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - BBC Newsnight has uncovered evidence of secret
payments of millions of dollars from Azerbaijan to international
boxing organization World Series Boxing (WSB).
According to the report, whistleblowers say that WSB's chief claimed
the money was in return for a guarantee that Azerbaijani fighters
would win two boxing gold medals at the London 2012 Olympics.
The boxing organizer at the Olympics, AIBA, admits an Azeri national
paid $9m (£5.9m) to one of their competitions. But they deny any deal
to fix medals. Lawyers for the International Amateur Boxing Association
(AIBA) told the BBC that any such allegation was "preposterous and
utterly untrue".
That view was backed by AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu, who told
Newsnight that the claims were "totally untrue and ludicrous", adding
that "WSB is conducted in a totally transparent way".
However, he said that AIBA had a zero tolerance policy on corruption
and that he would conduct an immediate investigation into the
allegations.
Whistleblowers say a senior WSB member said gold medals had been
promised. Whistleblowers from inside boxing approached Newsnight with
allegations about the Chief Operating Officer of the AIBA's World
Series Boxing (WSB), Ivan Khodabakhsh.
WSB had run into financial difficulties in America and was in need
of funding.
The insiders said Mr Khodabakhsh told them that a secret deal had been
done to secure funding from Azerbaijan in return for manipulation of
the Olympic boxing tournament to guarantee gold medals for Azerbaijani
fighters.
One insider told Newsnight: "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 Azeris got their medals, WSB would have
the cash."
Another said that Mr Khodabakhsh came in and said: "We are safe now -
Azerbaijan came in - we have to give them medals for that."
"He was talking about gold medals in London in return for millions
of dollars of secret payments," the insider added. "Medals are being
sold so blatantly it's amazing."
But Mr Khodabakhsh told Newsnight that claims that there was any deal
with Azerbaijan were "an absolute lie".
"I deny that I have offered anyone two gold medals or have any
understanding that anybody else has offered two gold medals to
Azerbaijan," he added.
AIBA has previously claimed that the money for WSB America came from
a private Swiss company, but documents obtained by Newsnight show
communications between Mr Khodabakhsh, AIBA executive director Ho
Kim and Azerbaijan's Minister for Emergency Situations Kamaladdin
Heydarov about an investment agreement for a $10m loan.
These include an e-mail from Mr Khodabakhsh to the ministry in
Azerbaijan with the following request: "Please transfer the investment
money soonest possible to the WSB America account."