By Arnold Farrugia
Three events in one weekend. From Friday, Dubai will be the epicenter of world boxing with the celebration of three of the most important IBA events in the city of the United Arab Emirates: The IBA Ordinary Congress, the Global Boxing Forum, and the Champions Night.
It all begins with a reception and gala dinner with guests arriving from all corners of the planet. On Saturday, all the activity will focus on the organization of the Ordinary Congress, a crucial element for the IBA, as it will bring together all the National Federations of the world to study and deliberate on the strategies to be followed in the future of boxing.
A total of 171 federations are invited. In addition to several topics of vital importance, the election of a female representative on the IBA Americas Board of Directors stands out, an important element that demonstrates the commitment to gender equality maintained by the IBA. Three candidates are running for the election of a female board member of the Americas to fill the currently vacant position: Lourdes Avendaño from Bolivia, Ivonne Núñez from Ecuador, and Luisa Benítez from Venezuela are the eligible candidates approved by the BIIU Nominations Unit.
1- Avendaño was a boxer before and represented the Bolivian team in international boxing competitions. She is a certified IBA coach and holds a degree in Business Administration.
2- Núñez is a lawyer and economist currently pursuing a Ph.D. She also teaches law at several universities in Ecuador. She received the Dr. Leonidas Ortega Moreira Professional Merit Award in 2015 and 2016.
3- Benítez is the President of the Venezuelan Boxing Federation (FEVEBOX) and an active member of the Board of the American Boxing Confederation (AMBC). She has previously served on the IBA Board of Directors, is a lawyer, and a certified IBA international technical official.
