THE International Boxing Association (Aiba) has responded to criticism of statements by its president, Dr Chink-Kuo Wu, that the decision to remove headgear in men's elite amateur boxing has made the sport safer.

Speaking at Aiba's congress last month, Kuo Wu said the decision had reduced concussions and forced fighters to protect their heads more. "Women's boxing could one day follow but only after extensive monitoring of the men's game," he said.

While South African National Amateur Boxing Organisation president Andile Mofu backed Aiba, Boxing SA board member Dr Peter Ngatane saw red.

"If Aiba believes what they have done is good for the sport, why have they left women out? Why are they saying women could follow?" he asked. "My recommendation is that we continue using them."

In response to Sowetan's questions regarding Ngatane's concerns, Aiba said: "Concussions and boxing safety is our number one concern. After extensive studies on men boxers' safety, including two statistical reviews by the Aiba medical commission [more than 2000 bouts studied] and a study published by an independent physician-researcher in a recent publication of the British Journal of Sports Medicine [almost 30000 bouts reviewed over the past 59 years], it was decided that boxers in all elite men competitions will no longer wear head guards as all available data indicated that the removal of head guards in elite men competitions would result in a decreased number of concussions.

"Boxers wearing head guards in competitions tend to feel that their heads are protected. They therefore engage in risk compensation by using their head as a weapon, taking more punches to the head and banging heads together because they think they would not be hurt.

"The decision to remove head guards in elite men boxing was based on data and facts. These data and facts do not yet exist for women."

South Africa recently lost a professional female boxer, Phindile Mwelase who died 15 days after being knocked out in a match.