LAUSANNE, Switzerland — A Russian official has offered to clear the International Boxing Association’s $16 million debt if the IOC keeps the sport in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Umar Kremlev, an AIBA executive committee member, made the offer in a letter to senior IOC officials overseeing an investigation into the embattled Lausanne-based boxing body.
The Russian boxing federation released extracts as the International Olympic Committee executive board discussed the ongoing AIBA inquiry. Issues include elected president Gafur Rakhimov, who American authorities say is an international heroin trafficker.
The IOC said the board will consider the final inquiry report on May 22.
“I am ready to close all the debts of AIBA in full, so long as our favorite sport remains in the Olympic program,” Kremlev wrote.
AIBA said Wednesday it has “significant debts of over $16 million” and needs Olympic revenue to survive.