The California State Athletic Commission lifted its suspension of USA Boxing’s authority and events in the state of California following a hearing on Monday at the Ronald Reagan State Building in Los Angeles. The decision in favor of USA Boxing ends a nearly three-week suspension imposed by the commission on March 23..
“USA Boxing is very pleased about the outcome of yesterday’s hearing. We are looking forward to getting events back on track throughout the state, so that athletes can once again have the opportunity to develop their abilities and compete,” said USA Boxing CEO Jim Millman. ”We are looking forward to working with the CSAC to address all of the commission’s concerns.”
Following the witness testimony, representatives from USA Boxing and the California State Athletic Commission met at the direction of the Commission Chairman, Tim Noonan, to pursue an agreement by both entities. USA Boxing and the CSAC agreed to work together in the scheduling of future amateur boxing events to ensure that California state inspectors may attend all amateur boxing events as they do with amateur MMA and professional boxing. In addition, the two organizations will collaborate on a more detailed plan addressing a number of recommendations made by the CSAC to USA Boxing to be presented at the next commission meeting in June. Among the areas to be pursued together by USA Boxing and the CSAC will be (1) development of a database providing electronic tracking of athlete’s records and injuries in the state of California, (2) a reduction in grievance fees, (3) development of a medical evacuation process at sanctioned events, (4) improved financial reports of events, and (5) the documentation to the state of local clinic events for coaches and officials.
USA Boxing enjoyed outstanding support at the hearing with the four California Local Boxing Committee presidents, 1984 Olympic gold medalists Paul Gonzales and Henry Tillman, 2004 Olympian Vicente Escobedo, 2008 Olympian Javier Molina, and numerous USA Boxing members attending the event and testifying on behalf of USA Boxing. In addition, letters of support were provided by California alumni, including recently unified junior welterweight champion Timothy Bradley, Jr.
Sixteen previously sanctioned events were cancelled in the state of California during the commission-imposed suspension. The four local boxing committees are currently working to re-schedule the events, which included qualifying events for the USA Boxing National Championships.
USA Boxing, as the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing, is the United States’ member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) and a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). It is responsible for the selection and management of the United States Olympic Boxing Team, and for the governance and oversight of USA Boxing’s national organization of 38,000 members, 1,400 individual boxing clubs, and 1,600 sanctioned events annually.