Irish boxer Michael Conlan has basically told AIBA to get lost after the organisation announced that it was looking into disciplinary proceedings regarding his behaviour at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Following his fight against Russia's Vladimir Nikitin, which the judges controversially decreed Conlan lost, he flipped the bird at the judges and went on to give an interview with RTE where he called AIBA "fucking cheats", said they were "paying everybody" and that amateur boxing "stinks, from the core right to the top".
Shortly after Conlan's fight a number of judges were sent home from the Games due to the poor standard of judging and seemingly as a result of decisions like that involving Conlan, so it would appear even from AIBA's actions that Conlan's strong feelings on the issue were justified.
But now Conlan has released a letter through his solicitor that "refutes accusations by the AIBA that he has undermined ‘the principles of honesty, integrity and sportsmanship'." Conlan is refusing to co-operate with any investigation by AIBA into the issue and his solicitor said:
My client is dismayed that a three member AIBA Disciplinary Commission Panel has been convened in relation to this matter, and in particular, in advance of any conclusion of the investigation into the thirty six judges used in the Olympics Games.
The decision by AIBA to go after Conlan is all the more puzzling given that Conlan has since fulfilled his post-Nikitin promise to leave amateur boxing, signing with Top Rank Boxing in September. He is set to make his debut in Madison Square Garden, New York on St Patrick's Day next year.
