Asian Boxing Sets New Standards of Fairness and Transparency in Bangkok

President Pichai Chunhavajira, Secretary General Ali Salameh, General Manager Bassam Ghanem, and Sports and Competitions Manager Kraitach Kaewkate all agreed that the Asian Boxing U19 and U22 Boxing Championships in Bangkok marked the foundation for a new era of the sport in Asia.

At the heart of the event was fairness, integrity, and transparency, values central to IOC’s vision for boxing’s future. Asian Boxing became the first continental body to implement the World Boxing Referee Evaluator System while also using its own licensed scoring system for the championship. Together, these tools ensured that referees and judges delivered the highest quality of officiating, safeguarding impartiality across every bout.

Under the supervision of Technical Delegate David Pike of Australia and Deputy Technical Delegate Maria Karina Picson of the Philippines, and with the support of neutral referees and judges from countries including the United States, Guatemala, Hungary, Bulgaria, Ecuador, and Azerbaijan, the Bangkok competition was an example of excellence. Many of these officials bring experience from World Boxing Championships and Olympic qualifiers, further strengthening the quality of officiating.

The evaluator system provides a robust safeguard: it educates, disciplines, sanctions, and corrects referees and judges when necessary. This process not only minimizes mistakes but also motivates officials to improve in order to continue working at the highest level of competition.

With 370 boxers from 25 countries delivering some of the most competitive and exciting bouts seen in recent years, the Bangkok Championships confirmed Asia’s role as a driving force in global boxing. The championship also underscored that the International Olympic Committee’s framework for fairness is now fully embedded in Asian Boxing, heralding what President Chunhavajira described as “the era of Olympic boxing in Asia.”

President Chunhavajira concluded: “Asia continues to lead. We set the precedent, the standard is high, and that is how we will continue to move forward with this cause, with this purpose, united as one.”

Looking ahead, Asian Boxing has already begun preparations for the Elite Boxing Championships later this year, where the principles of fairness, transparency, and integrity will once again be at the core.