NBC Boxing Announcers Told To Leave Ringside Seats


For the first few days of the boxing tournament at the 2012 London Olympics, NBC reporters Bob Papa and Teddy Atlas have been sitting ringside. But boxing officials complained that the two commentators were distracting and asked them to leave their seats for the remainder of the Olympics.

Yahoo reports that the International Boxing Association asked Papa and Atlas to leave their seats because they were “very disturbing” during bouts.

An AIBA spokesman told Reuters:

“NBC commentators were offered a booth in the media tribune like other broadcasters because they were very disturbing for AIBA officials – even during bouts they were not broadcasting – being located at the edge of the Field of Play… They claimed that since no boxers from the USA were still in the running, they didn’t want to stay anyway.”

NBC spokesman Greg Hughes said that it was true that Atlas and Papa were asked to leave but said that both commentators were eager to watch and report on the remaining matches despite the absence of the US Team.

Hughes said:

“That is inaccurate and we will be calling the remaining bouts for the U.S. television audience, as planned… There are two sides to every story. We’ll address the matter with the IOC after the Games conclude.”

Papa and Atlas, who have been critical of the international boxing rules during the 2012 London Olympics, will continue their coverage from New York.

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