What about the sex determination test which the WB introduced?
I think it’s important to stress that after the controversy in Paris, there was uncertainty about the safety and the integrity of the sport within the boxing world. What was important to mention is that, especially for combat sport, safety and integrity are very critical items. It was for us a crucial task to ensure that the safety and the integrity were good. We really needed to look into the eligibility of boxers, especially, in the women’s category, and that’s what we have done with the introduction in May (end of May), we announced that we would start with testing for the women’s category, and on August 20, we published our testing policy. That was to also ensure that we would have a safe and integral World Boxing Championships in Liverpool. We all know that it’s a short-term solution, because you need to do further investigation. For example, when a test shows an Y-chromosome, you still need to do testing whether there’s a performance advantage. At least it’s a good starting point, and I think that the WB Anti-Doping and Medical Committee worked very hard to define this policy. At the same time, together with other IFs who are facing the same challenge, it is really a very delicate matter, which needs to be discussed in the near future with experts, data, and in order to come to a final solution. We have started with a short-term testing policy, but lots of work still needs to be done.
When you started, the power centre of boxing shifted to Europe. Now with Kazakhstan’s Gennady Golovkin set to become president of WB will the power shift to central Asia? Will the boxing set up change?
I don’t think so, not necessarily. For me it’s important that the legacy that we created, that they continue with it. That they will fight to keep the legacy in place. I have trust that they will do this. We don’t need to come in the same situation where boxing was before we started World Boxing.
How challenging will it be now… the transition and do you see yourself in any capacity in WB?
I would love to be involved and I would love to assist and help. Boxing is my sport, and it’s really important now to get the full recognition for boxing by delivering excellent, high quality competition. For example, Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games will be big. The LA Games. I think those are very important milestones in the full recognition pathway. I always want to support and contribute, because I told you it’s not about my position, but it’s important that we can deliver as World Boxing.