The Times of India. May 12, 2000
HAVANA: Cuban boxers continue to train for the Sydney Olympic Games despite speculation of a possible boycott in retaliation for international amateur boxing association (AIBA) sanctions against top sports officials.
As part of that training, 12 of Cuba's top boxers will travel on Thursday to tunisia to train jointly with that country's national team, state news media announced.
``Members of the technical team preparing the Caribbean island's squad said the meeting with the Africans forms part of pre- Olympic training,'' state news agency Prensa Latina said.
That news follows foreign media speculation that Cuba may be considering a boxing boycott at Sydney in response to AIBA sanctions against three Cuban officials for not substantiating charges of corrupt refereeing at a 1999 competition.
The AIBA said the Cuban boxing officials never produced evidence to back up accusations that a ``corrupt mafia'' was fixing results at the world amateur championships in Houston. Following the Cuban protest and walkout in Houston, however, one fight result was reversed, and some referees
sanctioned.
Meeting last weekend, the AIBA's legal committee banned Cuban boxing federation president Jose Barrientos from attending competitions for four years. Cuban federation vice president Teofilo Stevenson, a three-time former Olympic champion, was suspended for two years, while national team trainer
Alcides Sagarra received a one-year ban. (Reuter)
© Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. 2000. |