In a significant move toward retaining boxing in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has provisionally recognized a newly established governing body for the sport. The decision was made on Wednesday, acknowledging World Boxing, an organization formed in 2023 as a splinter group from the longstanding but troubled International Boxing Association (IBA). This new group has already attracted a considerable number of former IBA members.
The IOC reported that 62% of boxers from the Paris Olympics last year were associated with World Boxing affiliates. Furthermore, it praised World Boxing for demonstrating a strong commitment to improving governance and ensuring compliance with relevant standards.
Boxing icon Gennady Golovkin, who leads the commission responsible for legitimizing World Boxing as the official body for Olympic boxing, hailed the decision as a pivotal step, noting there is still work ahead. “This provisional Olympic recognition from the IOC is an indispensable accomplishment, signifying that our sport is progressing in the right direction. It brings us closer to our ultimate goal of preserving boxing within the Olympic Games,” Golovkin emphasized in his statement.
Back in 2019, the IOC suspended the IBA due to persistent issues related to governance, financial discrepancies, and concerns over the integrity of matches and judging. The IBA faced an unprecedented expulsion from the Olympic movement in 2023, a move coinciding with the formation of World Boxing.
After the suspension, the IOC took direct action by managing the boxing events at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics and the Paris Games last year. However, it acknowledged the need for a new organizational partner as the 2028 Olympics approach.
Despite its suspension, the IBA, led by its Russian president Umar Kremlev, has continued its disputes with the IOC. Recent disagreements have focused on eligibility rules for women’s boxing at the Paris Olympics, notably involving champions Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting. Additionally, the IBA announced plans to pursue legal action against the IOC in multiple countries, including the United States, France, and Switzerland.
