IOC meet gives World Boxing Olympic hope

World Boxing’s goal to become the international governing body recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to anchor boxing ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and beyond, took a giant leap after the breakaway body met the IOC in Lausanne, Switzerland Monday.

World Boxing was launched in April 2023 to become the international federation for boxing, replacing the International Boxing Association (IBA) which the IOC eventually expelled from the Olympic Movement in June 2023 due to issues with finances, governance, and the credibility of boxing competitions.

The IBA appealed that unprecedented decision but the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) last month upheld it much to the disappointment of the IBA.

Since suspending IBA in 2019, the IOC has managed boxing at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics but recently said it would need "a partner international federation for boxing by early 2025" if boxing is to be on the Los Angeles 2028 Games programme.

The IOC maintains that the new international federation must be supported by a global body of national federations, and show evidence of proper governance and leadership.

World Boxing has for its one year of existence flaunted itself as that legit heir to IBA and meeting the IOC is a huge boost in its pursuit of that coveted status as the new body in charge of Olympic boxing.

"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,” said World Boxing president Boris van der Vorst in a media statement Daily Monitor received after the meeting.  

The Dutchman who challenged Umar Kremlev’s reelection as IBA president in 2021 added: "It is clearly imperative that those boxing nations interested in competing 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.”

USA Boxing is the largest national federation to join World Boxing, which has 27 members, with Nigeria the only one from Africa.  IBA claims World Boxing is "unfit on all levels to support national federations around the world."  

Meanwhile,  earlier this week, 19 African federation presidents, led by Uganda’s Moses Muhangi, petitioned the IBA suggesting that the current incentives including the $80m prize money for competitions, do not foster growth and prosperity of African boxing at the international level. 

Timeline 

2019: IOC suspends IBA

April 2023: World Boxing is formed

June 2023: IOC expels IBA

November 2023: World Boxing holds first congress

January 2024: World Boxing holds first tournament in Great Britain

April 2024: World Boxing holds second tournament in USA

April 2024: CAS upholds IOC expulsion of IBA

May 2024: IOC meets World Boxing