Talks begin to save boxing as an Olympic sport

According to a statement from World Boxing, the meeting took place on Monday in Olympic House, the headquarters of the IOC in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Currently boxing is not included on the programme for the LA Olympics in 2028. The IOC has warned that unless they are able to partner with an International Federation for boxing by early next year, it will not be restored.

As was the case in Tokyo in 2021, the boxing tournament at this year’s Paris Olympics will be run by the IOC’s own Boxing Unit.

Today's Sport News in 90 Seconds - 8th May

The IOC formally cut its ties with the International Boxing Association (IBA) last year after a long-running dispute over governance and other issues with the Swiss based organization, currently led by Russian native Umar Kremlev.

A recent decision by the Court for Arbitration in Sport (CAS) to reject an appeal by the IBA against the decision of the IOC to expel them cleared the way for formal talks to begin between World Boxing and the IOC.

The World Boxing statement says: “As of today, boxing is not on the Olympic programme for LA 28 which is an alarming fact for all involved in boxing.

“During the meeting, the IOC clearly indicated that the new International Federation had to be supported by a global body of National Federations and the new International Federation had to show evidence of proper governance and leadership for the sport for the IOC to consider to put boxing back on the Olympic programme of LA28.

“Currently World Boxing is the only suitable International Federation to fulfil this mandate and is grateful to the IOC for starting a formal dialogue and outlining a future pathway to keep the sport in the Olympic Games.”

Boris van der Vorst, World Boxing President, stated after the meeting, “Once again, we thank the IOC for their commitment and perseverance with boxing in the Olympic Games having run two Olympic editions themselves.

“Now it is time for World Boxing and National Federations to learn from their best practices and applied ethical principles.”

“It is clearly imperative that those boxing nations interested to compete in the Olympic Games in the future need to show urgently their intent and commitment to the Olympic Games by joining World Boxing and retaining boxing at the Olympic Games. Otherwise, the loss of boxing’s Olympic status would be our worst nightmare,” said van der Vorst.

The statement confirms that World Boxing which was launched in April 2023 will seek recognition by IOC. They plan to work ‘constructively and collaboratively’ to develop a pathway that will ‘preserve boxing’s ongoing place on the Olympic competition programme at Los Angeles 2028 and beyond.’

Monday’s meeting was attended by Kit McConnell, Sports Director IOC, Breno Pontes, Head of the Paris Boxing Unit of the IOC who was the Boxing Competition Manager at the Rio Olympics in 2016, Boris van der Vorst and Simon Toulson, the secretary general of World Boxing.

Twenty-eight countries have joined World Boxing since it was established. At a recent press conference secretary general Toulson said another 25-30 national federations were in talks to join and they anticipate having 50 confirmed members by the end of the year.

The majority of international boxing federations, including the Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) continue to be members of the IBA, who organise world and continental championships for both elite and underage boxers and offer prize money to elite boxers who medal at their championships.

But all the indications are that national federations who want their boxers to continue to participate in the Olympics will have to leave the IBA and join World Boxing between now the LA Games in 2028.

In the case of the IABA, they risk having their government funding slashed if they jeopardize their Olympic participation by remaining affiliated to the IBA.