The president of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) rejects the notion that judging at the Beijing Olympics has been unfair, and says complaints to the contrary are the result of "lack of sportsmanship."

"We have demonstrated that the judging at this Olympics is fair," Wu Ching-Kuo of Taiwan told reporters after an executive committee meeting of the AIBA in Beijing. "We've had over 200 bouts and only two protests so far, both of which have been turned down. Losers often complain, but that has to do with a lack of sportsmanship.

"If they're unhappy with a decision, they must launch a protest."

Wu became AIBA president in 2006 and launched a set of reforms, including changing the rules for assigning referees and judges, in response to complaints from the International Olympic Committee that led the IOC to temporarily freeze payments to AIBA after the 2004 Olympics.

"We must demonstrate to the world that this is the new AIBA and that we are clean, honest and transparent," Wu said yesterday. "Our aim is to protect the boxers and to make sure they are not harmed by manipulations or national interests."

"We've heard a lot of good comments from the IOC."