The Commission of Inquiry (C.O.I) is going through turbulent times in their investigation of the death of featherweight boxer Ubayd Haider.
This was revealed by C.O.I chairman Edwin Wainiqolo during a press conference at the Ministry of Youth and Sports Nadi Office yesterday.
This was after South Pacific Boxing Promotions (SPBP) director Mohammed Shameem and Fred Chand have hired a legal counsel.
Wainiqolo said the channel they are following now is to go through their legal counsel in order to reach the promoter.
“We experienced some turbulence that we never expected. Some of them engage the legal representatives, which are their rights, and we respect that as well.
“Negotiations have been held with us and their counsel on the time convenient for their clients to be interviewed.”
FAIR PLAY
Speaking from Vancouver, Canada, Shameem said they are ready to be interviewed by the COI but it has to be done at the presence of their lawyers.
“I’ve got nothing to hide but to tell everything and I’ve been waiting for them (COI) to tell me when it is going to happen. I’ve emailed Edwin (Wainiqolo) and he told me they have emailed me earlier about the date and time of interview. I did not receive that email from them and even checked on my spam but it was not there.”
Shameem said the reason they have gone for a legal counsel is because of the attitude of Boxing Commission of Fiji (BCF) chairman Adi Narayan who is trying to blame them for everything.
“We want a fair hearing,” the renowned Canadian businessman said.
When contacted in Sydney, Australia, Chand said they have nothing to hide but to tell the truth.
“We’re not going to end with the inquiry we’re intending to take this matter further,” he added.
Chand said SPBP has done 19 promotions around the country and paid local boxers well and brought in world class boxers to fight in our shores.
“We made losses in some of our promotions but we continued on to help lift the level of the sport and help our boxers earn a decent living. We continued on after COVID when no other promoter in the country had the guts to promote. We even took our promotion to Ba and Labasa.”
IBO ISSUE
Wainiqolo said they also have issues with the International Boxing Organisation. “We have issues with IBO who sanctioned the fight. They are relying on their own status that they cannot be challenged.
“Those are the issues that protect them or give them protection in the sanctions fight. We will forward those issues to the office of the solicitor general seeking his directions.”
A senior IBO official who did not wished to be named told SUNsports that any questions on the Haider’s case would be referred to their headquarters.
“The IBO only sanctioned the three title fights but the Boxing Commission of Fiji sanctioned the promotion,” the official said.
DEADLINE
Wainiqolo said the deadline would be 30 days for full reports and investigations.
“The deadline would be 30 days but was extended by about a week as the minister wanted. We have extended a few times to have the promoter interviewed but we are waiting for a final date for them to issue.
“But we have given the end of this week as a deadline because we are supposed to provide a portfolio to the minister as well.”
He said if their legal counsel refused to come forward by the end of this deadline, they would proceed with whatever the ministry gathered over the last three weeks of their investigations.
“We have to capture as many people as we can as part of and puzzle of boxing on October 26. We do not only involve people who are only involved in boxing. These include ringside doctors, ringside supervisors, all the judges who were there and the people inside the changing room. Not only the people on boxing day but prior to the day before the competition.
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