Boxing was not included in the original schedule for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. However, recent recommendations from the executive board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to remove the International Boxing Association’s (IBA) recognition could change that.
This proposal could pave the way for the sport to become a part of the 2028 Olympics, despite its absence from the initial program. The IOC had taken charge of boxing during the Tokyo 2020 games after the IBA was banned in 2019 due to alleged corruption and governance issues.
A new IOC report indicates the IBA’s failure to implement a series of reforms agreed upon in 2021. An extraordinary IOC session scheduled for 22nd June will discuss the issue and make a final decision regarding the IBA’s recognition.
The IOC had previously agreed to restore the IBA’s recognition, conditional on the successful implementation of the 2021 reform measures. The IBA did not contest these conditions. However, in response to the IOC’s recent proposal, the IBA issued a statement threatening “retaliatory measures,” condemning the move as “entirely abhorrent and solely political.”
The IBA’s President, Umar Kremlev, expressed frustration saying, “We accepted the process and the rules, but we were not judged fairly. We now have no option but to request a fair evaluation from a competent court.”
Meanwhile, World Boxing has been established as an independent international governing body in light of the issues concerning the IBA. GB Boxing, USA Boxing, and the Swiss Boxing Federation have expressed intentions to apply for World Boxing associate memberships.
The Dutch Boxing Federation commented that parting with the IBA seemed “inevitable,” and Boxing New Zealand expressed their skepticism about maintaining their association with the IBA. In response to the IOC’s statement, World Boxing welcomed the transparency and described it as a “highly significant moment,” offering an opportunity for the sport to progress.
Boxing is included in the Paris 2024 Olympics. Still, like Tokyo, the qualifications and competitions are being managed by the IOC rather than the IBA, whose current head is Russian businessman Kremlev.
World Boxing’s interim executive board currently includes representatives from Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, Sweden, and the USA. This board comprises Matt Holt, GB Boxing’s chief executive, and Lauren Price, the 2020 Olympic gold medalist and athlete representative.
Jason Glover, the chair of the GB Boxing board, stressed the importance of keeping boxing in the Olympic program, stating it was “vital for the sport’s future in the UK and globally.”
The Olympic Federation of Ireland expressed its support for the IOC’s recommendation, suggesting that it “might ultimately secure the future for boxing as an Olympic sport.”
