Boxi

BBC Newsnight has uncovered evidence of secret payments of millions of dollars from Azerbaijan to international boxing organisation World Series Boxing (WSB).

Whistleblowers say that WSB's chiefclaimed the money was in return for a guarantee that Azerbaijani fighters would win two boxing gold medals at the London 2012 Olympics.

The boxing organiser at the Olympics, AIBA, admits an Azerinational 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 allegationwas "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 conductedin 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.


Whistleblowerssay a senior WSB member said gold medals had been promised
The AIBA is the international governing body for the sport of boxing recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). World SeriesBoxing, a franchised league of professional boxing, is one of its initiatives.

Whistleblowers from inside boxing approached Newsnight with allegations about the Chief Operating Officer of the AIBA'sWorld Series Boxing (WSB), Ivan Khodabakhsh.

WSB had run into financial difficulties in America and was in need of funding.

'Medals being sold'
The insiders said Mr Khodabakhsh told them that asecret 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.

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Start Quote

I deny that I have offered anyone two gold medals or have any understanding that anybody else has offered two gold medals to Azerbaijan”

Ivan Khodabakhsh
Chief Operating...