New Delhi: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Wednesday granted provisional recognition to World Boxing (WB), keeping the sport on course to being included in the 2028 Los Angeles programme.
Boxing’s survival as an Olympic sport was under threat since IOC stripped the International Boxing Association (IBA) of its membership in April 2023 over governance and officiating issues. The boxing competition at the last two Olympics – Tokyo and Paris – was organised by IOC. It is, however, yet to include boxing for the LA Games and wanted for a global body to stake claim as the new International Federation (IF) for boxing.
World Boxing, headed by Dutchman Boris van der Vorst, was set up in 2023, breaking away from IBF. It has been gathering support from national federations. WB was granted provisional recognition by IOC the Executive Board on Wednesday following an assessment.
India joined World Boxing last year before the Paris Olympics.
IOC said WB has fulfilled the criteria required for recognition as an IF. “WB has continued to make progress regarding the identified areas of consideration in order to be recommended for IOC Provisional Recognition as the IF within the Olympic Movement governing the sport of boxing at world level,” IOC said.
IOC said WB is composed of 78 national federations and four continental confederations have been established so far. The boxing body, which was closely working with IOC, has implemented integrity measures and a strong governance structure.
“WB has provided evidence that 62% of the boxers and 58% of the boxing medallists at the Olympic Games Paris are affiliated to national federations that are members of WB. It has applied the sports integrity process implemented during the Olympics by the Paris Boxing Unit (IOC task force), including with independent oversight,” IOC said in a statement.
WB has provided assurance with regard to its revenue generating process on the basis of multi-year commercial partnerships from 2025 to 2028.
BFI has been tasked with key roles in a new Asian body. India will host the World Boxing Cup Final and the World Boxing Congress later this year.
Following the IOC announcement, Van der Vorst said in a statement: “This is a very significant day for everyone connected with the sport of boxing in the Olympic movement. Keeping its place at the Olympics is absolutely critical to the future of our sport at every level, from the grassroots to the highest echelons of professional boxing, and this decision by the IOC takes us one step closer to our objective of seeing boxing restored to the Olympic programme.”
