AIBA President receives Honorary Doctorate

Sofia, April 23, 2014: The President of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) Dr Ching-Kuo Wu was conferred today the Honorary Doctorate from the Bulgarian National Sports Academy “Vassil Levski” (NSA) in Sofia.

In his Honorary Doctorate Acceptance Speech Dr. Wu, who also serves as the Executive Board member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), thanked the Academic Council and underlined that by instilling the Olympic values and culture in the young generation, this educational institution not only produces the best ambassadors of these values, but also fosters better members of our society.

“At a very early stage in my life, I found a language that helped me connect to the world and other people, other nations. This was and still is the language of the sport. This is a language without boundaries and it travels freely and safely among the people of the world,” said the AIBA President.

Attending the momentous occasion included the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport, Yorgan Yevchev, the Bulgarian Olympic Committee General Secretary, Belcho Goranov, and the Bulgarian Boxing Federation President, Krasimir Ininski.
The National Sports Academy plays a fundamental role in developing the potential and talent of thousands of students of Bulgaria, and since 1942 has become one of the most important promoters of sporting values in the country, as well as at the international level.

The “Vassil Levski” Academy awards with Doctor Honoris Causa an honorary degree to prominent public and sport-engaged persons, with special contributions to the development of sport education, Olympism and to preserving the values of youth civil and social integration.

This ceremony first took place in 1996, when the Academic Council of the NSA made the decision for conferring the title as a way of honouring distinguished people.

Since then, the honorary sign has been bestowed to 18 world sport and public leaders, among them the former IOC Presidents Juan Antonio Samaranch and Dr. Jacques Rogge.

The AIBA President is visiting Sofia this week on the occasion of the 2014 Youth World Boxing Championships, which is being hosted in the Bulgarian capital. —- AIBA