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Nairobi, Kenya | Xinhua | International Boxing Association (AIBA) President Umar Kremlev has lined up his ambitious plans to uplift boxing standards in Africa when he led the AIBA leadership and the national federations of the continent to discuss key boxing issues in a virtual forum here on Sunday.
The Kremlev’s framework for boxing development includes setting up a boxing academy in Nairobi and establishing communication with athletes and coaches in its national federations.
He said he gained a deeper understanding of the problems and challenges that African sport is facing, particularly in Kenya and will develop an effective program for every continent to help athletes show their best results.
“I am sure there will be many champions in Africa in the near future and the first Boxing Academy on the continent will be built in Kenya,” said Kremlev at the virtual forum while noting that he sees great potential in the development of African boxing.
Kremlev said he was pleased that the pandemic situation allowed him to come to Kenya to see boxing development in the country and on the continent.
“This is my first, but far from the last, visit to Africa. I was very glad to see all the national federations via video conference, and I must say we have done fruitful work. It is very important for me to receive feedback from all AIBA members, to get their proposals for reforms. Only together, being united, can we achieve the tasks set,” he added.
The forum discussed the new AIBA committees and competition calendar, the AIBA development plan for national federations, the organization’s communication strategy, anti-doping seminars as well as a legal team report.
During the forum, Kenyan Boxing Federation President Anthony Ombok emphasized that the boxing academy’s establishment is a big welcome towards raising the boxing standards in the region.
“Kenya is grateful to Kremlev for his visit, which is historic since it is the first time ever that an AIBA president has visited an African country, and for the fact that he is going to build a boxing academy in our country, which again will be the first on the continent,” Ombok said.
He said experts will prepare a blueprint for the structure and the bill of quantities and once the plans get approval from federations from AIBA, the development of boxing in the country will be kick-started.
“There will be no stopping until we are the best in the continent and are challenging the big nations in the world of boxing,” Ombok added.
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Xinhua
