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Michael Conlan following his defeat to Vladimir Nikitin of Russia in 2016.
Boxing

No Rio Olympics referees or judges will be used at Tokyo 2020

Michael Conlan was on the wrong end of a controversial decision in the 2016 Olympics.

LAST UPDATE | Nov 21st 2019, 8:49 AM

ALL 36 OF the boxing referees and judges used at the Rio Olympics will not be allowed officiate at Tokyo 2020, an International Olympic Committee task force has stated.

A number of referees and judges were sent home from the 2016 Olympics following allegations that some fights were fixed, leading to an International Boxing Association (AIBA) investigation. 

Michael Conlan lost his controversial bantamweight quarter-final to Russian Vladamir Nikitin despite appearing to win comfortably.

And while the AIBA investigation found no interference in results and recommended the Rio judges be reintegrated on a “case-by-case basis”, the IOC’s new selection criteria has ruled them ineligible for the Tokyo Games.

The decision was made following consultation with athletes in a bid to increase the integrity of officiating at the Olympics. 

“The main objective of the IOC boxing task force is to ensure the completion of the mission of delivering events, while putting the boxers first, and with transparent and credible sporting results and fair play,” said boxing task force chair Morinari Watanabe.

Scores from each judge will be publicly displayed at the end of each round during qualifying competitions and the Games.

Referees and judges selected for Tokyo will come from a pool of qualified AIBA-certified officials who’ve been reviewed to ensure they meet the selection criteria.

Conlan will get the chance for revenge against Nikitin when they meet in the pro ranks in December in New York.

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