New Delhi: In a major relief for boxing fans across the globe, the popular sport will remain in the Olympic programme for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles after winning the unanimous vote of the International Olympic Committee.
It is a big win for boxing, a sport that was not part of the programme for the next Olympics when the schedule was announced in 2022. But the IOC granted provisional recognition for World Boxing as the sport’s governing global body last month. The IOC has now rubber-stamped the decision to include boxing in the ongoing session in Greece.
“I thank you for the approval of having boxing back. We can look forward to a great boxing tournament,” outgoing IOC president Thomas Bach said.
IOC votes to reinstate boxing in 2028 Olympics
Boxing has been part of the Olympic programme since 1904, barring 1912. In the previous two editions of the Olympics, IOC has run the sport following the International Boxing Association (IBA) was suspended in 2019 over governance, finance, refereeing and ethical issues.
The Russian-led IBA was stripped of its status in June 2023 for failing to implement reforms.
The IOC and the IBA were involved in a fierce gender row face-off in the 2024 Paris Olympics over the participation of Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting.
Despite the IBA’s decision to ban both boxers during the 2023 World Championships for failing gender eligibility tests, the IOC allowed them to compete in Paris as both controversially won gold medals in their weight classes.
Since being formed in April 2023, World Boxing has 84 members across five continents, including Great Britain.
“This is a great day for boxers, boxing and everyone connected with our sport at every level across the world,” said World Boxing president Boris van der Vorst.
“World Boxing understands that being part of the Olympic Games is a privilege and not a right and we are determined to be a trustworthy and reliable partner that will adhere to and uphold the values of the Olympic Movement.”
According to the IOC’s mandate, only those athletes whose national federations are members of World Boxing before the qualification events for the 2028 Olympics can participate in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The dates for the qualifying period have not yet been announced.
In the previous two editions of the Olympics, IOC has run the sport following the International Boxing Association (IBA) was suspended in 2019 over governance, finance, refereeing and ethical issues. Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
