Khaldon Azhari

TOKYO: Japan’s professional boxer Kazuto Ioka pledged to continue his fight to “restore his reputation,” which had been significantly damaged by false doping allegations, saying he is ready to dominate the boxing rings once again.   
 
Ioka, WBO Super Flyweight Champion,  knocked out top-ranked contender Kosei Tanaka in a high-profile match on New Year’s Eve. Still, the euphoria of victory quickly turned into a nightmare.  Due to negligence by the Japanese boxing authorities, they wrongly accused Ioka of failing a pre-fight drug test. Suddenly, his reputation was in ruins. Then, significant irregularities in handling his urine samples came to light. Although the Japan Boxing Commission admitted that they had been careless and cleared Ioka of any wrongdoing in May, he continues to fight to restore his reputation. 

In a press conference at the foreign correspondents’ club of Japan (FCCJ,) Ioka expressed his feelings frankly and demanded a direct, unequivocal apology from the boxing body to discourage recurrences of such false allegations.

“I would like to receive an apology as soon as possible, clear this problem up, and prepare for the next fight,” he said. “I was the target this time. Still, if nothing changes, other players could easily be harmed by the same errors,” he warned. 

 Ioka said his request for an apology doesn’t mean he is seeking compensation for the damage. Nonetheless, Mr. Hattori, Ioka’s lawyer who accompanied him, said, “whether or not to ask for financial compensation depends on the situation in the future.”

Visibly saddened, Ioka said, “I thought my life was at an end.  But now, I will stop for nothing and go confidently into the future.

When asked by Arab News Japan about the pros and cons of Japan’s hosting the Tokyo Olympics this year, he said, “I think it would be better not to hold it this time. It’s hard for athletes to get in shape under the  circumstances.”
 
“The Olympic Games are the number one festival in sports where people can be moved and encouraged, but I don’t know how we can hold it amid still unresolved anxieties over COVID-19,” he said.