Umar Nazarovich Kremlev stands by his promise to build an Oceania Boxing Academy in Fiji.

And Fijians can have direct access to participate at the 2024 Tokyo Olympics in Paris with the possibility for Oceania to have its own pathway to the global event.

The newly elected International Boxing Association (AIBA) president plans to build five academies in five boxing confederations around the world.

Speaking via zoom with SUNsports on Wednesday, Kremlev indicated plans to develop amateur boxing.

“I will build five boxing academies in five continents and for the Oceania region, it will be in Fiji,” Kremlev said.

“The academy will include training facilities for boxers, coaches, referees and judges.

“AIBA will cover all the costs.

“I will also resurrect the Oceania Boxing Championship and will organise more tournaments as well.

“There is also a possibility for Oceania to have its own pathway to the Olympics.”

The 38-year-old Russian said his first priority was to eliminate the debts incurred by AIBA and to return amateur boxing to the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

The IOC suspended AIBA in June 2019 for problems involving referees and judges, finance, ethics, doping and governance.

“Clearing AIBA’s debt is the most important and is my priority,” he said.

“I will work towards restoring AIBA’s Olympic status, but first we should be clear, then it will be IOC who will decide.

“This should be done within the next six months.”

With the COVID-19 pandemic, there had been a decreased number of international tournaments. However, referees and judges validation courses are being conducted online.

“It will be provided offline, once the borders are open.”

Kremlev added the development programmes would also be free to the smaller national federations. And he plans to bring more competitions.

Kremlev was in Fiji in February last year during the AIBA/Oceania Continental Boxing Forum at the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa in Natadola.

When asked if he would like to return in future, he said: “Yes I will return in future, when we start to build the Oceania Boxing Academy.

“Fiji is a lovely country, it is a beautiful and a friendly place.”

While the AIBA headquarters is in Lausanne, Switzerland, Kremlev said: “I will be going around visiting boxing federations around the world.”

The secretary general of the Russian Boxing Federation and a member of the AIBA Executive Committee, received 86 votes to defeat Boris van der Vorst of  Netherlands and interim AIBA president Mohamed Moustahsane.

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