After months of speculation about boxing’s future in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on Wednesday that it will provisionally recognise the American-based World Boxing Federation as the global governing body, leaving the IBA in uncertainty.
The IOC’s announcement, made after an Executive Board meeting, means World Boxing will oversee the sport internationally, taking over from the International Boxing Association (IBA), which had its official recognition revoked in April 2023.
World Boxing’s rise follows nearly two years of fierce competition for control of the sport, after AIBA, the former governing body, collapsed in 2019 due to financial and ethical issues. The IOC highlighted World Boxing’s growing number of national federations, now 78, as evidence of its readiness for the next Olympic cycle.
The IOC’s statement noted that World Boxing has shown progress in key areas, including governance standards, and is now recommended for provisional recognition within the Olympic Movement. This comes as boxing faces the risk of being excluded from the 2028 Olympics.
Meanwhile, the Russian-based IBA, which claims over 120 member associations, faces increasing challenges. IBA president Umar Kremlev criticised the IOC and continues to oppose sanctions that prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing.
World Boxing’s president, Boris Van der Vorst, welcomed the IOC’s decision, calling it a crucial step in ensuring boxing’s future in the Olympics. Gennadiy Golovkin, a former world middleweight champion and Olympic medalist, also praised the decision, stating that it shows the sport is on the right track.
The IBA, still active in the amateur boxing world, now faces a more uncertain future, especially with the LA28 Games approaching. Kremlev had hoped for a change in the IOC presidency to reopen the possibility of Olympic reinstatement but must now find new ways to push back.
Van der Vorst concluded, “While today’s decision is a milestone, we know that being part of the Olympic Movement is a privilege, and there’s still much work to do to ensure boxing remains central to the Olympics.”
