The International Boxing Association has today launched the #AIBAFamily campaign ©AIBA

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) has today launched the #AIBAFamily campaign as the organisation attempts to help bring all 201 of its National Federations (NFs) together in a shared commitment to the sport leading up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The campaign includes far-reaching educational programmes directed at all levels of boxing, from the new GlovesUp entry-level module up to the three-star referees and judges (R&Js) and coaches.

Emphasis is being placed on ethics and behaviour as well as taking a look back at the legends past and present that have been a central part of the AIBA story.

AIBA claims the campaign ensures that it continues to be the only organisation that provides its boxers, coaches, R&Js and technical staff with tangible support and education throughout the development of their careers.

The body also states that #AIBAFamily unites its members and embraces the progress of those athletes who have left an indelible mark on the AIBA Open Boxing (AOB), World Series of Boxing (WSB) and AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) competitions over the years.

AIBA's efforts to maintain boxing's global appeal and create an increasing number of career paths for its athletes, coaches, officials and staff has seen the organisation introduce a series of important reforms in recent times. 

In 2010, AIBA adopted the 10-points must scoring system, a move that put AOB tournaments in line with other world boxing competitions.

Three years later, the decision was taken to remove headguards for the Men’s World Championships in Almaty in Kazakhstan, precipitating the same change for Olympic competition.

In 2016, the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro became the first of their kind in which men competed without headgear for more than 30 years, while it is claimed women's boxing enjoyed more coverage than ever before.

"Such important reforms as we have seen require broad communication and the re-education of all the stakeholders that comprise the AIBA Family, to make sure that the reasons behind the changes, as much as the changes themselves, are widely known and fully understood," AIBA President C K Wu said. 

"After Rio 2016, as we embarked on the new Olympic cycle to Tokyo 2020, AIBA committed to reforming aspects of the technical and competition rules, as well as reinforcing the Code of Ethics and behavioural expectations of all those who represent boxing, as we seek to continue spreading the sport’s positive values."

The campaign includes far-reaching educational programmes directed at all levels of boxing ©AIBA
The campaign includes far-reaching educational programmes directed at all levels of boxing ©AIBA

As well as the 201 NFs, #AIBAFamily will look to bring together all those who represent boxing, including the fighters themselves, coaches and officials. 

The shared commitment will also be directed to boxing's laws and Code of Ethics. 

Earlier this month, AIBA vowed to ensure the Tokyo 2020 Olympics provide the "perfect stage" for its athletes by staging several judging, coaching and technical official courses this year.

The list of workshops includes five focused on refereeing and judging after last year's Games in Rio were plagued by scoring scandals.

All 36 referees and judges who officiated at Rio 2016 were suspended pending the results of the probe by an AIBA Special Investigation Committee (SIC) but are now being re-integrated on a "case-by-case basis".

The boxing competition at Rio 2016 received widespread criticism due to several decisions believed to be suspect.

The training and expansion of its global network of officials is a "priority" for AIBA, the organisation has claimed.

The first referee and judging inspector course was held earlier this month in Assisi in Italy, where 23 of AIBA's most experienced instructors from 20 countries reviewed the changes and the new instruction manual.

They also finalised the evaluation process that will be used in all competitions to "ensure even greater consistency in officiating".

A total of 13 one and two-star coaching courses have now been confirmed between April and September, while Assisi was the location for the year's first international technical officials (ITO) instructor workshop.

Courses for AIBA's ITOs and supervisors are due to be staged before each of the 2017 Continental Qualification Tournaments.