Boxing: IOC asked to look into Azerbaijan seeds

(GETTY IMAGES)

The International Olympic Committee has been urged to investigate new seeding rules for boxers that appear to favour Azerbaijan, the country at the centre of the cash-for-gold-medal allegations, in their bid to qualify for the 2012 Olympics.

Amateur boxing's world governing body AIBA introduced a new rule only last month stipulating that the host country of their World Championship would automatically have a seed in every weight category.

Azerbaijan is currently hosting the World Championships, which will determine qualification for the London Games, thus benefiting from the rule change.

Damian Collins MP, a member of the select committee for Culture, Media and Sport, called for the IOC to ensure that everything remained above board in terms of boxers qualifying for London 2012.

Britain's Luke Campbell yesterday produced a superb display in Baku to defeat the Azerbaijani favourite Rahim Najafov in the 56kg weight class.