Sports Shorts: Ministry lands knock-out punch on IABF

Livid with the suspended Indian Amateur Boxing Federation's refusal to comply with its directives, the Sports Ministry on Tuesday derecognised it with immediate effect.

The decision comes as another massive jolt to the IABF, which has already been terminated by its international parent body, AIBA.

"The matter has been considered in totality and keeping in view all relevant facts including the fact that the International Federation of the boxing sport has withdrawn its recognition to IABF, it has been decided to withdraw the recognition granted by Government of India to IABF with immediate effect," a source in the ministry said.

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"The matter has been considered in totality and keeping in view all relevant facts including the fact that the International Federation of the boxing sport has withdrawn its recognition to IABF, it has been decided to withdraw the recognition granted by Government of India to IABF with immediate effect," a statement from the ministry read, detailing the reasons for taking the drastic step.

The IABF was provisionally suspended by the ministry in December 2012. It had asked it to hold fresh elections and make its constitution compliant with the National Sports Code.

"IABF was directed to annul their elections held on 23.9.2013 and communicate its decision of holding fresh elections by following the provisions of the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011 under the supervision of an independent Returning Officer.

"The International Federation for the sport of boxing, i.e., AIBA has also from time to time advised the IABF to hold their elections after suitably amending the Constitution of IABF. However, neither the directions of the Ministry not those of the AIBA have so far been complied with by IABF and fresh elections have not been held," the ministry said.

It said recognition to any National Sports Federation would rely on the current legal status of the organisation, recognition by the International Federation, the Asian Federation and the IOA in respect of Olympic Sports.

Also part of the Ministry's criteria is the NSF's undisputed status as an Apex Body in India, its role and contribution in promoting and developing sports in India, conduct of national championships across age groups and gender, financial and managerial accountability and fair, transparent and democratic elections.

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The Canadian city of Edmonton and the South African city of Durban have both formally indicated they plan to bid for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, officials said on Monday.

Prince Tunku Imran, the president of the Commonwealth Games Federation, said both cities have until next March to formalise their bid proposals before the decision on the host site is made in September, 2015.

"This is an exciting development for the Games movement, one that reinforces the Games position on the world's sporting stage," Imran said in a statement.

Edmonton has already hosted the Games once before, in 1978, while Canada also hosted the inaugural Games in 1930 (Hamilton) as well as 1954 (Vancouver) and 1994 (Victoria).

"Canada is the birthplace of the Commonwealth Games, with the British Empire Games held in Hamilton in 1930," said Andrew Pipe, President of Commonwealth Games Canada.

The Games, a multi-sports event held every four years featuring athletes from over 50 countries, have never been staged in Africa and Gideon Sam, President of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, said it was time the continent was given its chance.

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Inter Milan suffered another slip-up against lower-placed opponents after a late blunder by midfielder Fredy Guarin allowed lowly Livorno to snatch a 2-2 home draw in Serie A on Monday.

Midfielder Hernanes, with his first goal since his January move from Lazio, and Rodrigo Palacio put Inter 2-0 ahead at halftime before Paulinho pulled one back and substitute Innocent Emeghara pounced on Guarin's terrible back pass to equalise.

Inter badly needed a win after their previous two games ended in a 2-1 defeat by Atalanta and goalless draw with Udinese, both at San Siro.

Monday's point, their 13th league draw of the season, left them clinging to fifth place which would earn them a Europa League place next season.

Hernanes put Inter ahead in the 37th minute when he fired home from inside the penalty area after team mate Mauro Icardi missed his kick.

Palacio then scored with a volley with the final kick of the first half, the Argentine's 14th league goal of the season, to put Inter seemingly in control.

Paulinho brought Livorno back into the game when he scored following a well-worked corner routine nine minutes after the break.

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Brazilian authorities halted work at the temporary stands of the stadium that will host the opening match of this year's World Cup following the death of a worker, the company in charge of the construction said on Monday.

The regional labour authority of Sao Paulo demanded that Fast Engenharia stop building to make a technical analysis of the project, the company said in a statement. Fast Engenharia said that after the analysis it will announce a new time frame for finishing the temporary stands.

Fabio Hamilton da Cruz died on Saturday after falling 25 feet (7.6 meters) while installing floors on the stands, becoming the third construction worker to perish while working on the Arena Corinthians on the outskirts of Sao Paulo. Seven workers have died building Brazil's World Cup stadiums.

The stadium was supposed to be finished in December but the delivery date was pushed back after two workers were killed in November when a crane toppled over.

Work has been slow since then and there is concern that safety may be taking a back seat to haste as workers rush to finish the stadium in time.