The AIBA is moving forward with the radical change.
Despite widespread opposition to their plans, amateur boxing’s world governing body has confirmed that professional boxers will be able to compete at this summer’s Olympic Games.
AIBA president Ching-Kuo Wu has said that last month’s decision by the organisation merely needs to ratified at an extraordinary congress in June to make boxing the latest sport to abandon the amateur ethos at the Games.
Wu did confirm that no country will be allowed to simple parachute a pro fighter into their Olympic team, however, with the final qualifying tournament in Azerbaijan in June offering the opportunity to win a place in Rio.
“Professional boxers will be at Rio. I don’t know how many but they will be,” Wu told Reuters. “But they will have to go through the same procedures as everyone else.
“Everyone will need to qualify, they will need to be picked by their own federations so there are things that need to happen first. They don’t get in just like that.
“What AIBA wants to do is open the door for professionals. Boxing is probably the only sport in the Olympics not represented by pros.”
