By Tom Degun

Anthony Joshua London 2012June 11 - UK Sport have reached a deal with the British Amateur Boxing Association (BABA) and the Home Nation national governing bodies which will allow the BABA to continue to receive and distribute the funding for the sport, they have announced today.


The BABA was plunged into turmoil last month after Derek Mapp was forced to resign following a vote from the Amateur Boxing Association of England (ABAE) and the Amateur Boxing Scotland (ABS).

UK Sport expressed their concern at the way Mapp was removed and threatened to redirect more than £10.4 million ($17.9 million/€12.8 million) of its funding set aside for the BABA for the Rio 2016 Olympics into an alternative Special Purpose Vehicle.

UK Sport has now revealed that the BABA will continue to receive funding following positive talks.

The main sticking point in the talks was the way that the BABA Board operated but insidethegames understand that a deal was reached to increase checks and balances by giving more members of the BABA Board voting rights and decreasing the voting power of the Home Nation federations, meaning that no one group or political faction can dominate.

"UK Sport, the BABA and the Home Nation National Governing Bodies are pleased to be able to confirm that, following successful dialogue over the past week on the governance of BABA, and in particular the composition of their Board, an agreement with BABA has been reached which satisfies UK Sport and provides sufficient comfort that going forward BABA will be able and is committed to governing boxing's World Class Programme effectively to support the drive for further Olympic success in Rio," said a UK Sport statement.

"Therefore UK Sport will not be activating proposed plans to channel World Class Performance Programme funds for GB Boxing through an alternative Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) at this stage although we will be taking steps to register an SPV should matters around BABA's governance deteriorate again at any point or plans for the required changes do not progress as agreed."

Derek MappUK Sport will lead on the recruitment of a new independent chairman of the BABA to replace Derek Mapp

The talks have also seen a deal agreed by which UK Sport will "lead on the recruitment of a new independent chair" for the BABA and while agency will review its investment again at the normal annual review point in December, as with all Olympic and Paralympic sports. 

"We are pleased to have come to this conclusion with minimal disruption to their programme," continued the UK Sport statement.

"Acceptance of these changes is only the first step, albeit a significant one, in starting to rebuild the confidence of UK Sport in how the sport is currently being governed.

"Should these issues resurface in the future, UK Sport will not hesitate in renewing its plans to channel its funding through an SPV, in the best interests of the athletes and World Class Programme."

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