The fallout from a series of extremely controversial decisions at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro continued Thursday, as the International Boxing Association (AIBA) announced it has reassigned executive director Karim Bouzidi.
Italy's Franco Falcinelli, president of the European Boxing Confederation and the most senior vice president on AIBA's executive board, was tapped to take his place. He will oversee the final four days of competition in Rio.
The move was made one day after AIBA, the organization that runs amateur boxing, removed an undisclosed number of unnamed referees and judges from the Rio Olympics for failing to perform competently in a series of bouts that left many stunned by seemingly outrageous decisions awarded to boxers who appeared to be clearly beaten in one-sided fashion.
There have been reports that six judges were sent home.
"Further to the decision taken by AIBA with regard to the reassessment of the judges and referees officiating during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the AIBA Vice Presidents and Executive Board members have decided to reassign with immediate effect the current AIBA Executive Director to a new role within the organization," AIBA said in a statement.
Three bouts in particular caused outrage. Russia's Evgeny Tishchenko claimed the heavyweight gold medal by unanimous three-round decision, 29-28 on all three judges' scorecards, against Kazakhstan's Vassiliy Levit on Monday in a fight in which Levit appeared to dominate all three rounds.
On Tuesday, Uzbekistan's Fazliddin Gaibnazarov was awarded a split decision against American Gary Antuanne Russell, 29-28 twice for Gaibnazarov and 29-28 for Russell, in the light welterweight quarterfinals. Russell battered him in the second and third rounds and Gaibnazarov was warned repeatedly by the referee to fight because he was running and refusing to engage.
Also, Russia's Vladimir Nikitin was awarded a unanimous decision -- 29-28 on all three scorecards -- against Ireland's Michael Conlan in the bantamweight quarterfinals despite obvious dominance by Conlan, who was so incensed by the scoring that during a postmatch outburst, he spun around the ring and flipped double middle fingers at the judges. He later accused Russian president Vladimir Putin of paying off the judges, tweeting to him, "Hey Vlad Putin, how much did they charge you bro??"
"The Olympic Games, of which boxing has been a part since 1904, represent the pinnacle of all sports. Since the beginning of Rio 2016, AIBA has conducted over 250 bouts and remains fully committed to fair play in boxing, always seeking to act in the boxers' utmost interests," AIBA's statement said. "The decisions taken emphasize that AIBA will not shy away from its responsibilities and will continue to ensure a level playing field and a fair and transparent sport. It is of paramount importance to protect our sport and its R&J [referee and judges] community whose integrity has been put into question."
AIBA did not detail the specific reasons it reassigned Bouzidi, who is from Algeria.
Although Nikitin advanced to the semifinals, where he was scheduled to face American Shakur Stevenson on Thursday for the right to fight for gold, he was so battered by Conlan that he dropped out of the tournament. Stevenson will get a walkover and is assured of a silver medal. He will face Robeisy Ramirez, of Cuba, in the gold-medal match on Saturday afternoon. Stevenson has the chance to win the first men's boxing gold medal for Team USA since Andre Ward won the light heavyweight gold at the 2004 Athens Games.