Boxing: No Seoul corruption evidence

Olympic chiefs said yesterday they had found no evidence to support allegations of corruption in the boxing events at the 1988 Seoul Games. The International Olympic Committee said it had found no proof to support accusations that Roy Jones, the American light-middleweight, was cheated out of a gold medal by dishonest judges and would not be taking any action in the case.

Jones, who went on to become a professional world champion, was beaten in the 1988 final by Park Si-hun, a South Korean, after an extraordinary decision. Most spectators and commentators had Jones way ahead of his opponent but the three judges ,from Morocco, Uruguay and Uganda, gave the decision to Park.

Last year the IOC appointed a commission to investigate allegations that some judges were bribed in favour of South Koreans and that some international boxing officials were aware of the cheating. But the IOC said: "The facts obtained by the working group have not added any new elements that would warrant reviewing the decision taken by the judges."