The International Olympic Committee's (IOC) executive board has approved the inclusion of boxing in the programme for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, ahead of its 144th session that starts on Tuesday, March 18. (More Sports News)
IOC had earlier granted provisional recognition to World Boxing in February, which sidelined the International Boxing Association (IBA) and transferred authority to the new governing body. The IOC session slated from March 18-21, which will also elect a new president to succeed the outgoing Thomas Bach, is likely to ratify the executive board's decision to include boxing in the LA Games 2028 roster.
"After the provisional recognition of world boxing in February, then we were in the position to take this decision so that ... this recommendation of course has to go to the session," Bach said after the executive board meeting. "I am very confident that the session will approve it so that all the boxers of the world then have certainty that they can participate in the Olympic Games LA 2028 if their national federation is recognised by world boxing," he added.
IOC has supervised the boxing competitions at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics after it derecognized the IBA in 2023 due to a lengthy dispute over governance issues and concerns about the integrity of bouts.
World Boxing president Boris van der Vorst welcomed the IOC executive board's decision, saying: "This is a very significant and important decision for Olympic boxing and takes the sport one step closer to being restored to the Olympic programme.
"I have no doubt it will be very positively received by everyone connected with boxing, at every level throughout the world, who understands the critical importance to the future of the sport of boxing continuing to remain a part of the Olympic Movement.
"On behalf of everyone at World Boxing I would like to thank the EB of the IOC for the trust they have placed in our organisation and we hope for a positive outcome when the IOC Session meets this week."
Boxing was not included on the initial sports programme for the LA Games, approved by the IOC session in February 2022, due to the ongoing concerns around the then international federation, the International Boxing Association (IBA). After the withdrawal of the IBA라이브 바카라 recognition on June 22, 2023, the inclusion of boxing on the 2028 Olympics sports programme remained on hold.
The Paris 2024 boxing competition and its qualifying tournaments were organised under the authority of the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit, an ad hoc task force created by the IOC executive board. This decision was taken so as to protect athlete participation at the Olympic Games and deliver a clear, fair and transparent pathway for boxers to qualify, ensuring a fair and just competition.
In 2024, the IOC made it clear that national boxing federations had to reach a consensus around a new international federation in order for boxing to be included on the sports programme of the 2028 Olympic Games.
After an assessment of the various criteria regarding governance and sports integrity, the IOC board on February 26 decided to provisionally recognise World Boxing, which currently comprises 84 national federations over the five continents.
(With PTI inputs)
