The International Olympic Committee (IOC) delivered a significant blow to the International Boxing Association (IBA) by officially revoking its recognition as the global governing body for the sport. The decision was announced on Thursday after the IBA failed to implement necessary reforms in areas such as governance, finance, and ethical matters.
During an online extraordinary session, the IOC unanimously ratified the executive board’s recommendation to withdraw recognition from the IBA, with 69 votes in favour and only one opposing.
In response to the decision, the IBA, which referred to it as a “tremendous error,” made an urgent appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the highest judicial authority in the sporting world. However, the appeal was rejected on Tuesday, solidifying the IOC’s decision.
The IBA had previously been suspended by the IOC in 2019 due to concerns surrounding governance, finance, refereeing, and ethical issues. As a result, the IBA was not involved in the management of boxing events at the Tokyo Olympics.
Although boxing remains part of the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics, the qualification bouts and overall competition will be overseen by the IOC rather than the IBA, as was the case in the 2021 Tokyo Games.
Additional challenges faced by the IBA, such as the termination of a sponsorship deal with Russian energy giant Gazprom following Russia’s incursion into Ukraine, further complicated its position. The IBA is currently led by Russian businessman Umar Kremlev.
The IBA issued a statement expressing its disagreement with the IOC’s decision, describing it as a result of political motives. The organisation claimed to have successfully implemented all recommendations outlined by the IOC in its roadmap and reiterated its commitment to boxing development, independence, and the organisation of official tournaments and World Boxing Championships at the highest level. The IBA also asserted its legal right to continue its activities and expressed readiness to defend itself before any appropriate authority.
While the IOC often adds or removes sports from the Olympic Games program to appeal to younger audiences, it is uncommon for the committee to strip an international sports federation of its recognition.
The IBA’s loss of recognition has prompted the creation of a breakaway group known as World Boxing, which has attracted several countries that have opted to join the new organisation. World Boxing released a statement acknowledging the significance of this moment for the sport and called upon all national boxing federations to support their efforts in ensuring that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement.
This development marks a critical juncture for the future of boxing, as national federations now face a vital decision regarding the participation of their boxers in future Olympic Games, including the forthcoming Los Angeles Games and beyond.
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