LAUSANNE, March 19, 2024 - The inclusion of boxing in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games programme is largely dependent on the emergence of a new boxing governing body that will work in partnership with the International Olympic Committee. The Olympic body has completely ruled out the involvement of the International Boxing Association (IBA).
IBA OUT The IOC withdrew its recognition of the IBA in June last year due to its failure to complete reforms on governance, finance and ethical issues. The Umar Kremlev-led body was excluded from the organisation of the boxing events for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 Paris Olympics.
But today the IOC Executive Board discussed the “ongoing attempts by the IBA to associate themselves with the Olympic boxing qualification events” for Paris 2024.
CLARIFICATION IOC Sports Director, Kit McConnell explained: “We felt that we needed to be once again extremely clear about where we are with Los Angeles in particular and moving forward with the Olympic boxing. Again in regard to the IBA, the decision of the IOC session could not have been clearer in terms of the withdrawal of recognition and the IBA will not be involved in any way if boxing is part of the Olympic Games LA28.”
McConnell went on to read the decision taken at the IOC Session in Mumbai last year following the withdrawal of recognition of the IBA, emphasising that the IOC has still not recognised another governing body for Olympic boxing, therefore any decision regarding the inclusion of boxing in the LA28 sports programme remains on hold.
NEW BOXING BODY He added: “If we do not have a new boxing body to work in partnership with, one supported by and driven by the national federations, we will not be in the position to include boxing in the Olympic programme in LA. We need to be very, very clear on that. And to be absolutely clear there will be no role for the IBA in Los Angeles.”
MOVING FORWARD McConnell said it’s up to the national federations to “move forward with the development and creation of a global body” that the IOC can partner with before boxing can be confirmed for Los Angeles.
