The two AIBA technical delegates for the AIBA World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007 - Mr. Franco Falcinelli (Italy) and Mr. Kishen Narsi (India) – gave preparations for AIBA’s premier event the thumbs up following the completion of a three-day coordination visit to Chicago on Wednesday.

Mr. Falcinelli and Mr. Narsi led a six-strong AIBA team, which also included AIBA Executive Director Mr. Ho Kim and AIBA Executive Committee and Medical Commission member Dr. Charles Butler, who inspected the facilities and operations for the XIV AIBA World Championships.

Pic (from to left): Mr. Kishen Narsi (AIBA EC member and  AIBA World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007 Technical Delegate), Mr. Tom Virgets (USA Boxing President), Mr. Doug Arnot  (AIBA World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007 Organizing Committee Senior Vice President), Mr. Franco Falcinelli (AIBA World Championship Commission Chairman and AIBA World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007 Technical Delegate)

“We have been very impressed with the Local Organizing Committee’s (LOC) professionalism,” Mr. Falcinelli, who is also the chairman of the AIBA World Championship Commission, said. “Preparations are well advanced and the LOC has shown extreme clarity and efficiency in all of its lead up work to date. With just a month to go before the competition starts we have full confidence in Chicago and look forward to what will be the most important world championships in AIBA’s history with the new AIBA President Dr. Ching-Kuo Wu taking boxing into a new era of reform.”

“The AIBA World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007 is set to be a memorable event for all concerned thanks to Chicago’s and USA Boxing’s dedication to making sure this event is a success,” Mr Narsi, an AIBA Executive Committee member, said. “Every aspect of preparation - from visas, to accommodation and training facilities - have been well addressed and we have come away confident that Chicago has the capacity and know-how to host a spectacular event.”

The AIBA World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007, which runs from October 23 to November 3 and is also the opening qualifying event for the 2008 Olympic Games, will be the largest in AIBA history with 693 registered boxers from 121 countries.

The AIBA Advisory Council and AIBA Executive Committee and will also meet in Chicago on October 20th and 21st respectively, followed by an Extraordinary Congress on October 22, the same day as the opening ceremony to the AIBA World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007.