Lack of acquittals results in two-year side-lining of amateur boxing boss

PRESIDENT of the PNG Amateur Boxing Union (PNGABU) Lohial Nuau, who is also the head of the Oceania Continental Boxing Confederation (OCBC), has been suspended for two years by its parent body, the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA), The National reports.

The penalty meted out by the AIBA executive committee was effective from Dec 18 last year.

The suspension stems from Nuau’s failure to acquit funds annually which AIBA had allocated to the PNGABU for the running of the union’s office as well as claims for consultancy fees and monies for international travel and other “unexplained and/or unreasonable expenses and receipts”, according to a report published on AIBA’s website.

The report was made public last month (June 18) from its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.

AIBA’s executive director Ho Kim, in handing down the decision, said Nuau had repeatedly failed to provide the executive committee acquittals for various expenses some of which were dubious in nature.

Although Nuau provided an explanation on Dec 16 last year, which included his OCBC finance report, AIBA found evidence of “numerous unconsiderable (sic) expenses and wrongdoings” from the information provided, and launched its own investigation.

The report described Nuau’s response to be “inadequate” and AIBA’s finance commission chairman David B. Francis further stated:

“I also believe there must be some deeper rooted problems that need investigation”.

The three-term PNGABU president was suspended “from all positions in AIBA with immediate effect” on Dec 18 last year. He received notice to this effect together with attachments related to the case (invoices, proof of payments, etc…) from AIBA’s legal manager Anthony Downes three days later on Dec 21.

Among the findings were Nuau’s claims for apparent office space for the PNGABU in Port Moresby with payments made to Naleai Electrical Contractors Ltd for use of its promises.

However this business can not be located in the company register of PNG.

This company had been receiving payments of US$1000 (K3, 300) a month since Jan 2008 as per an office lease agreement but was later discovered to be the residence of a close acquaintance of Nuau.

Other improprieties uncovered by the investigation were Nuau’s signing of a consultancy agreement with IPAVE Ltd for services in amending the constitution and structure of the OCBC, and not acquitting US$5,000 (K15,000) in travel fares for an aborted trip to Milan, Italy to attend the AIBA world championships.

Again there was no evidence of the existence of IPAVE Ltd in the country’s register of companies nor has Nuau repaid the travel expenses.

The firm was paid US$5,500 (K16, 600) as a result of Nuau’s advice.

The reported stated that from the evidence examined “Nuau improperly engaged in business with related parties, on behalf of the OCBC, which enabled him to obtain an improper benefit at the expense of OCBC.”

An estimated K100, 000 in funds was misused, according to the report; however it added that there was a need for further investigation to determine if other offences were committed.

The report stated in conclusion: “The behaviour of Mr Nuau certainly does not meet the standards that one could reasonably expect from the president of a continental federation and constitutes violations of the AIBA disciplinary code (not the least of which is the principle of integrity).

In a significant move, the report also acknowledged the presence of a working committee which was established within the PNGABU. This committee, formed by concerned associations affiliated to the union, informed AIBA president Dr Ching-Kuo Wu in April this year that it had previously (March 23) challenged in court Nuau’s position as PNGABU president. The Port Moresby District court subsequently ruled in favour of the working committee ordering the country’s overall sports governing body the PNG Sports Federation and Olympic Committee to immediately recognise them. Furthermore, the court ordered that PNGSFOC be restrained from dealings with Nuau and the PNGABU executives. It also ordered all union accounts be frozen. This information was passed on to AIBA’s disciplinary committee.

Nuau and his executive filed in court to have the decision quashed and a recent exparte order (July 6) ruled in favour of the current PNGABU executive.

When contacted yesterday Nuau would not answer questions on his suspension or any related matter.