PRESIDENT of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) has labelled as unfortunate the recent disclosure that nine Caribbean countries have been named in a possible breach of AIBA election rules.

Saint Maarten, The Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, Virgin Islands, Dominica, Anguilla, Bermuda, Haiti and Suriname have been named in a letter to the AIBA Ethics and Disciplinary Committees as countries who have, allegedly, had their annual AIBA fees recently paid by the Dominican Republic Boxing Federation.

The alleged payment has raised concerns as a possible breach of International Boxing Association (AIBA) election rules after the DRBF, which nominated one of the four candidates vying for President of AIBA, allegedly paid the membership fee of nine countries so they can vote in the December Congress.

Website, Insidethegames, reported last week that the DRBF, which nominated Domingo Solano for President – transferred a total of $4,800 (£3,700/€4,000) to the Americas Boxing Confederation (AMBC) to cover the dues of nine National Federations.

AMBC president, Osvaldo Bisbal reported the “disturbing case” of the payment in a letter to the heads of the AIBA Disciplinary and Ethics Commissions, which he said was made “without previous approval from our side”.

Bisbal alleged the DRBF told the AMBC that the money “was to pay for the membership fees for nine National Federations in order for them to be eligible for the upcoming Congress” on December 12 and 13, where AIBA is due to elect its new President.

The Argentinian, a vice-president of AIBA, also suggested the DRBF had asked for the source of the money to be covered up as it “requested AMBC to issue an individual receipt to each National Federation that AMBC pretended to receive each fee from each of these nine National Federations”.

The money was for AIBA’s member federations in Saint Maarten, The Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, Virgin Islands, Dominica, Anguilla, Bermuda, Haiti and Suriname, according to the letter.

“I am reporting this to you because I believe that AIBA and AMBC could be affected from an ethical point of view,” Bisbal wrote.

“As we are in critical situation to restore our damaged image, I am requesting your proper considerations on this case,” insidethegames reported.

Solano is a former president of the DRBF and a current honorary AIBA vice president.

According to insidethegames, the alleged payment from the Dominican body could create problems for Solano as election statutes dictates that candidates “should in no case and under no pretext give presents or offer donations or gifts or grant, advantages or benefits of whatever nature to or at the request of any party who will vote in, or who may otherwise influence an election”.

In an invited comment, Ninvalle, who, over three weeks ago, resigned as Chairman of the Caribbean Steering Committee for Boxing, said the situation is unfortunate and may have come about because of a lack of experience.

I don’t believe that there was any intention by anyone of the Caribbean countries to go against any ethical rule laid out by AIBA. The Caribbean just does not operate in that way,” Ninvalle said.

“However, this is an election season and anything that is said and done will be immensely scrutinized, hence, we as region need to be extremely careful with our modus operandi. We also need to make sure that we don’t conform to the usual last-minute rush which is clearly the genesis of this issue. It is my sincere hope that we all learn from this,” the Guyanese Vice President of AMBC added.

Bisbal has since been attacked for his actions which several countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have labelled unpatriotic to AMBC. However, Ninvalle claimed that the Argentine could have only acted because he was provided with the opportunity to do so.

“Everyone in boxing knows that you have to protect yourself at all times. If you drop your guards and get floored because of it, then you only have yourself to blame. This is an election season, so there will be no velvet gloves being used.

My hope is that this important lesson is not forgotten and our regional administrators will now better understand the value of acting in a prompt manner.  We owe it to our country and those who elected us,” Ninvalle declared.

AIBA will shortly announce the list of countries eligible to vote in the upcoming elections.