“Under US political pressure”: Russia is outraged by the possible exclusion of boxers from the WBC rating

A great resonance in the sports community was caused by the statement of the President of the World Boxing Council (WBC) Mauricio Suleiman at the organization's congress in Acapulco.

According to him, all Russian and Belarusian athletes will be excluded from the WBC rating.

“The Council will not sanction fights in these countries and their citizens will not be able to box for WBC titles.

I express my deep regret to the athletes, promoters and members of the boxing community from Russia and Belarus, who will be affected by these events, ”TASS quotes Suleiman.

Representatives of the Russian Federation sharply reacted to his words.

So, the former absolute world champion in the light welterweight Konstantin Tszyu promised to personally call the head of the WBC and find out the reason for this decision.

“If he said that, then there must be some reason.

I will be more specific.

Because now I see that it is very highly politicized.

I want to know from a direct source.

We will look further.

Do I hope that my call will change something?

In any case, I will understand what is happening, whether there are certain grounds for why this is being done.

If this is a purely political decision, then it is not in my power, but at least I will understand how to proceed.

Mauricio and I have a very good relationship.

I was on good terms with his father and with him,” Tszyu said in a conversation with Sport Express.

The Russian boxer Alexei Papin, who was the first number in the WBC rating in the first heavy category, was also upset by this statement.

“At the moment, very angry.

We have people who like to shout that sport is out of politics, they are in favor of democracy, but in fact their democracy and sport are out of politics.

Mauricio Suleiman is just a man who goes along with everyone else.

If I don’t have the opportunity to advance through the WBC line, then I will try a different version, and we’ll see,” Papin said in an interview with Metaratings.

The head coach of the Russian national team, Eduard Kravtsov, in turn, explained the decision of the WBC by the fact that the participants in the congress were pressured by the Ukrainians.

“Their next whining is the reason for the removal of the Russians.

Hope this doesn't last long.

The WBC organization itself only loses from this.

Russian boxers are represented in each category in leading roles - who is the WBC doing worse?

First of all, for yourself.

It is clear that all boxers lose from this - including ours.

People should not suffer from political intrigues, ”Kravtsova quotes the words“ Championship ”.   

And according to the well-known promoter Vladimir Khryunov, the organization was pressured by the United States.

“You know, the WBC is part of my life.

After all, I was a friend of José Suleiman, the former president of the WBC and the father of the current president, Mauricio Suleiman ... As far as I know, this discriminatory measure was taken by the WBC under political pressure from the United States.

The American Commission for the Regulation of Professional Boxing set a condition for the WBC: if you want to play titles in the United States, you need to exclude Russian boxers from the rating, ”said Khryunov.

The former WBO world champion Dmitry Pirog has a similar position.

And, in his opinion, this is a very bad signal for boxers.

“A bad signal from the WBC.

Prior to this, professional sports remained neutral in relation to Russian athletes, without resorting to such discriminatory measures based on nationality.

It is possible that the Mexican leadership of the WBC was put under political pressure, threatening difficulties with organizing box office fights.

Unfortunately, today politics penetrates into all spheres of life.

Especially such public ones as sports,” Pirog said.

However, it should be noted that Suleiman's latest statement is not something new and unexpected, but was only a repetition of an already adopted decision.

Back in early March, the WBC, WBO and IBF published a joint press release with the results of voting on the introduction of special measures against Russian boxers.

Then the officials put two proposals on the agenda: a ban on holding title fights in Russia and the exclusion of domestic athletes from all ratings.

Both were supported by an absolute majority.

The WBA made a similar decision, but promised to keep the championship titles for the athletes.

Eight months have passed since then, and of the two restrictions, only one is strictly enforced - major boxing tournaments are not held on the territory of the Russian Federation.

However, the organizers did not cancel the title fights with the participation of Russian boxers.

Most recently, Dmitry Bivol defended the WBA championship belt.

And until the last moment there was talk that he would go to battle with Gilberto Ramirez with a tricolor.

Only at the last moment the organizers asked to remove the flags.

At the same time, some athletes found a way out of a difficult situation.

So, Artur Beterbiev, who was born in Khasavyurt, received Canadian citizenship this summer.

Thus, the decision of the WBC does not concern him in any way, and he can safely prepare for the fight with Briton Anthony Yard, which will take place at the end of January.

Although all spectators will perfectly understand which country the athlete actually represents.

Other compatriots may follow this path.

In addition, according to the head of the WBC, boxers have the right to apply for a review of the verdict "depending on their ties with Russia."

Thus, in the council, in fact, they are allowed to challenge the deletion from the ratings, which is unprofitable for the organization itself.

Indeed, at the moment there are 16 domestic athletes in the top 15 in different weight categories.

It remains to be hoped that Suleiman's statement is only the words that he was forced to utter at the congress, and the WBC will actually continue to pursue the same policy towards the Russians as in the past few months.