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Friday, February 26, 2016
Should Nikki Bascome Try Olympics?

IslandStats.com
If Bermuda’s Nikki Bascome decides to enter the Rio Olympics, he could face other Professional Boxers under new plans from the sport's governing body.

AIBA president Dr Ching-Kuo Wu wants to abolish current rules which stop any fighter with 15 or more paid bouts from competing at the Games.

His proposal needs to be approved by the AIBA's executive committee, but Wu said, "We want something to change - not after four years, but now."

Wu was speaking at an AIBA Commissions meeting in Manchester.

"It is an International Olympic Commission (IOC) policy to have the best athletes in the Games, and of the international federations, AIBA is probably the only one without professional athletes in the Olympics," Wu said.

He added it was "absolutely possible" to change the rules in time for August's Olympics.

A British Amateur Boxing Association (BABA) spokesman said, "The proposals have the potential to broaden the talent pool from which we are able to select boxers and we are look forward to hearing more about them in due course.

"In the meantime, we have a squad of talented boxers that are all training hard to qualify for Rio 2016 and all of our efforts are focused on helping them to achieve this."

The qualifying process for this year's Games is already underway, with 60 boxers having already secured their places in Rio.

British boxers are competing in the World Series of Boxing for the British Lionhearts team, with an Olympic qualifying event in May.

Wu, who has been president for a decade, added: "When I took over the presidency in 2006 I made it very clear the term of 'amateur' is not really relevant because when you look now at all the Olympic sports, who is really amateur?"
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