Bill to amend the Boxing Commission of Fiji passed in parliament

Fiji amateur boxing will be back in the international scene soon as the bill to amend the Boxing Commission of Fiji has been passed in parliament.

This means that amateur boxing has now been removed from the Boxing Commission of Fiji and will fall under FASANOC.

This will allow amateur boxers to compete in the Pacific Games in July and other upcoming amateur boxing competitions.  

Amateur boxing in Fiji is currently governed and administered by the Amateur Boxing Association under the Boxing Commission of Fiji Regulations 2013.

However under the Amateur International Boxing Association statutes, the entity responsible for governing and administration of amateur boxing in a country must be an independent and non government body, without interference from any other body or entity.

During the parliamentary debate, opposition MP Semesa Karavaki said that he could not support the bill if it allowed women to take up boxing.

Lands Minister, Mere Vuniwaqa then stood up and said that she supports women who want to go into boxing.

Assistant Tourism Minister, Lorna Eden shared similar sentiments.

After the parliamentary debate on the bill had come to an end, Speaker Doctor Jiko Luveni asked if anyone opposed the passing of the bill. Some opposition members said they oppose the bill and a vote was then taken.

The government’s bill to amend the Boxing Commission of Fiji promulgation was passed with 32 MP’s saying yes and 8 saying no. 9 MP’s did not vote while 1 abstained.