Olympic chiefs uphold ban on boxing federation

news7f12/07/2022

1 2 minutes read

A woman holds a poster in support of boxing at the Olympics Games on the sidelines of the Executive Board meeting, in front of the Olympic House, in Lausanne, Switzerland, on December 5, 2022.

A woman holds a poster supporting boxing at the Olympic Games on the sidelines of the Executive Board meeting, in front of the Olympic House, in Lausanne, Switzerland, on December 5, 2022.

A woman holds a poster in support of boxing at the Olympic Games on the sidelines of the Executive Board meeting, in front of the Olympic House, in Lausanne, Switzerland, on December 5, 2022. (Photo by DENIS BALIBOUSE / POOL / AFP)

Olympic chiefs have upheld the ban on the International Boxing Association (IBA), insisting that the “drastic cultural change” required to lift the suspension had not been implemented.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has continued to have concerns about the governance, transparency and financial sustainability of the IBA, and the integrity of the arbitration and review process.

IOC athletic director Kit McConnell said the IOC Executive Board (EB) sent another letter, following the first one in September, listing its concerns with the IBA.

Therefore, today the IOC cannot change its position regarding the suspension of IBA accreditation.

The IBA was suspended by the IOC in 2019 over multiple corruption scandals, meaning boxing is in danger of disappearing as an Olympic sport after Paris 2024.

Boxing went ahead in the Tokyo Olympics delayed due to COVID after the IOC stepped in to ensure eligibility criteria. The same will happen with Paris 2024.

But then there was a clear warning for the sport.

“Boxing is not currently included in the original athletic program of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games,” the IOC letter to the IBA read.

“If a decision had to be made today regarding the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, the IOC EB would not be able to propose an IOC Session to include boxing in the athletic program under the IBA’s jurisdiction because the IBA did not demonstrate that it has successfully addressed ongoing concerns around governance, financial transparency and sustainability, and the integrity of its arbitration and review processes.”

The IOC said it will continue to monitor developments in “the activities and activities of the IBA and the boxing community at large, and based on those developments, will consider making decisions on whether to recognize the IBA at the appropriate time”.

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