Boxing: Azerbaijan Is Accused of Paying for Gold Medals at the 2012 Olympics

Azerbaijan, a former Soviet state, is alleged to have proffered millions of dollars to the International Boxing Organization.

According to BBC Newsnight whistle blowers have garnered information regarding Azerbaijan’s alleged surreptitious payments to World Series Boxing (WSB) in exchange for two of their boxing hopefuls receiving gold medals at next year's London 2012 Olympic Games.

The money that has allegedly changed hands is said to be in the region of $9 (£5.9m).

Apparently, the boxing organizer at the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) has acknowledged that the company did in fact receive the aforementioned sum, but claimed it was for one of their competitions.

At this moment in time AIBA, which is the international governing body for the sport of boxing, have denied any wrong doing.

This is what Ivan Khodabakhsh, the Chief Operating Officer of WSB, a key part of the AIBA's tournament structure, had to say to BBC Newsnight:

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“I deny that I have offered anyone two gold medals or have any understanding that anybody else has offered two gold medals to Azerbaijan.”

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If these allegations are indeed true, then boxing has sunken even deeper in the quagmire that it has made for itself—this might not be the pros, but it’s still boxing.

These allegations of bribery and corruption are sure to bring back memories of the 1988 Seoul Olympics Games when Roy Jones Jr was a victim of some of the most truly atrocious scoring. Jones Jr lost out to South Korean Park Si-hun for the Olympic gold medal in the light-middleweight class.

It’s safe to say that what transpired in Seoul is the reason why Jones Jr is a legend in the sport today. At the time there was no evidence to suggest that venality and guile were at play, but to those in attendance it was plain to see that something was amiss.

Have no doubt that the boxing category at the London 2012 Summer Olympics will be under intense scrutiny by both the media and boxing fans.

If there’s an upside to this alleged scandal, then it’s that boxing will get the exposure that it sorely needs—bad publicity it may be—but publicity nonetheless.

It just might be what is needed for boxing to get its house back in order.