Boxing great, Isaac Chilemba, has hinted that he would jump at an opportunity to represent Malawi at 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games following reports that professional boxers will be allowed to participate in the Brazil event.
“This is the first time I am hearing about it. Of course, as an amateur my dream was to go to the Olympic Games and raise the flag for my country. If I get an opportunity, I will be the first on the door,” said the third-ranked World Boxing Council fighter, Chilemba from his South Africa base.
The Malawian, who has won International Boxing Federation and WBC international titles, is the current North American Boxing Federation light-heavyweight champion. His record in 29 fights is 24 wins (10 KO) three losses, two draws.
Association for International Boxing Association (Aiba) president, Dr. Ching-Kuo Wu, on Wednesday announced radical changes in the way the association approaches the Games, which involve amateur boxers only.
Malawi Olympic Committee (MOC) president, Oscar Kanjala, whose body is coordinating Malawi Team’s trip to the Brazil event, on Thursday said he was yet to learn about Aiba’s proposal to accommodate professional boxers.
Malawi Boxing Association (Maba) general secretary, Innocent Chakudza, whose body is affiliated to Aiba, said he was also in the dark about the prospect of professional boxers competing at the Olympics.
Currently, Maba has earmarked boxers Israel Kamwamba, Ellen Simwaka, Abdul Chitetete, Charles Mchombo and George Kandulo for an Olympic qualifying tournament in Cameroon on March 9.
“We have the confidence that we can produce a qualified boxer from the five. The boxers are, due to lack of funds, undergoing mere non-residential training in Blantyre and Lilongwe,” Chakudza said.
On Wednesday Kuo Wu said the remaining barriers preventing full-time professionals from the Olympics will be abolished within months.
“We want the best boxers to come to the Olympic Games. It is Aiba’s 70th birthday and we want something to change – not after four years, but now,” he told Sky Sports during an Aiba Commission meeting in Manchester.
“It is an IOC [International Olympic Committee] 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.”
Asked whether the change could realistically be made in time to affect eligibility for Rio, Wu added: “According to our statutes it is absolutely possible. We already have our own professionals, APB and WSB boxers, in the Games – [and] we will go further.””
Malawi has never produced a qualified athlete for the Games, let alone won a medal at the event.
Local athletes’ preparations for the Games are usually chaotic with no harmonised national training in place yet.
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