(Pic: Following her historic appointment as Chairperson of the AFBC Normalisation Committee, former Eswatini Boxing President Pearl Dlamini has unveiled her vision for reforming the Africa Boxing Confederation (AFBC)
Dlamini, who currently serves International Boxing Association (IBA) board member, has been tasked with restoring order to the AFBC after years of leadership crisis, financial mismanagement and internal division.
Dlamini is the first woman to led African boxing at this level, signalling a new era of transparency, unity and progress.
Addressing financial accountability, the Committee will form a dedicated group to investigate delayed prize money from past competitions, including Maputo 2022 and Kinshasa 2024.
A transparent digital system will be introduced to monitor payments and ensure athletes receive their dues.
“The train has now left the station. Through mutual understanding and joint effort, the African boxing community can overcome its challenges and reclaim its place on the global stage,” she said.
The AFBC Normalisation Committee, operating under full executive authority, replaces the President, Vice President and AFBC Board until new elections can be held. Its primary role is to re-establish constitutional order in line with the IBA framework nd set the stage for credible, democratic leadership.
Central to Dlamini’s strategy is a comprehensive needs analysis, combining interviews, focus groups and document reviews to uncover the root causes of AFBC’s dysfunction.
Her team will also verify the legitimacy of leadership across national federations to resolve disputes and restore trust.
To support conflict resolution, the Committee will introduce expert mediators and a structured dialogue framework. Dlamini stressed the importance of unity and values-driven leadership, reinforced by communication campaigns, zonal forums and incentives for good governance.
Despite the on-going transition, Dlamini assured stakeholders that AFBC competitions will continue uninterrupted. Subject matter experts will oversee event planning and all updates will be communicated regularly to preserve confidence in the sport’s integrity.
