Istanbul, 12 May 2022; The Interim Nomination Unit of the Boxing Independent Integrity Unit (BIIU) has rendered a decision by which the following candidates have been determined ineligible:
- Boris van der Vorst
- Michael McAtee
- Steve Hartley
- Per-Axel Sjöholm
- Lars Brovil
Complaints were made to the Interim Nomination Unit on 11 and 13 April 2022 that the activities of these candidates were improper under the IBA regulations insofar as they constituted participation in another international boxing organisation, prohibited collaboration between candidates and electoral campaigning outside the Electoral period.
The Interim Nomination Unit found that it had jurisdiction in this matter. The Interim Nomination Unit also confirmed that it takes its decisions independently of the IBA Disciplinary Committee, since the Interim Nomination Unit pronounces itself only on the eligibility of candidates and not on disciplinary matters.
The activities in question were based around the creation of a group called the Common Cause Alliance in which the candidates listed participated, together with exchanges of open letters with the IBA.
The Interim Nomination Unit carefully considered the complaints and investigated them with the assistance of Genius Sports, the Independent Vetting Firm appointed in line with art. 27.5 of the IBA Constitution, to assist with vetting and other eligibility verification. Correspondence was exchanged between the candidates, Genius and the Interim Nomination Unit.
On the basis of the dossier, of the report of Genius Sports, of the IBA Constitution and IBA Regulations on Congress and Elections, the BIIU Interim Nomination Unit was left with no other option but to declare all the candidates who are members of the Common Cause Alliance ineligible for the elections scheduled for the IBA Extraordinary Congress.
The decision of the Interim Nomination Unit is subject to appeal at the Court of Arbitration in Sport.
More information about interim Independent Nominations Unit can be found here.
The members of the Interim Nomination Unit are:
- Prof. Piermarco Zen-Ruffinen, Professor Emeritus of the Law Faculty at the University of Neuchatel
- Dr. Catherine Ordway, Sport Integrity Research Lead at the University of Canberra, Chair of the Badminton World Federation Vetting Panel
- Louise Reilly, Barrister-at-Law, Chair of the Board of the Biathlon Integrity Unit
- Jacques Blondin, Head of Regulatory Enforcement at FIFA
- Roberto Cammarelle, AIBA World Champion and Olympic Champion