The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has granted provisional recognition to World Boxing, marking a major boost for the sport and paving the way for its potential inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. However, the sport has not yet been added to the LA 2028 programme, as the IOC has urged national boxing federations to form a new global boxing body to secure Olympic inclusion in the next three years.
Key Highlights
Provisional Recognition:
- IOC has provisionally recognized World Boxing, a significant step toward re-establishing the sport’s global governance and paving the path for Olympic inclusion.
Olympic Implications:
- The recognition is a key milestone for boxing’s bid to be included in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
- National boxing federations are now under pressure to create a new global boxing body, or risk missing out on Olympic participation.
Background on IOC’s Involvement:
- The IOC de-recognized the International Boxing Association (IBA) in 2023 due to governance, financial, refereeing, and ethical issues.
- The IBA had been banned in 2019, and was excluded from running boxing events at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 Paris Olympics.
World Boxing’s Credentials:
Launched in 2023, World Boxing now has 78 members across five continents.
It met key criteria for provisional recognition, including:
- Independent oversight and good governance structures.
- Implementation of a sports integrity process as seen during the Paris Games.
- Adherence to the World Anti-Doping Code.
- Sufficient global membership and robust revenue assurances.