The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has taken a significant step towards the inclusion of boxing in the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics by granting provisional recognition to World Boxing.
This decision comes after the IOC took over the management of the boxing competition at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, following the suspension of the International Boxing Association (IBA) in 2023. The IBA was removed from the Olympic Movement due to its failure to implement essential governance and financial reforms.
World Boxing, established in 2023, has swiftly grown to include 78 members across five continents. The IOC's provisional recognition is based on World Boxing's progress in key areas such as governance structures, financial transparency, application of sports integrity processes, and adherence to the World Anti-Doping Code.
\"The IOC's assessment concluded that World Boxing has continued to make progress regarding the identified areas of consideration,\" the IOC stated. \"This recommendation positions World Boxing to govern the sport of boxing at a global level within the Olympic Movement.\"
According to World Boxing president Boris van der Vorst, this recognition is a pivotal milestone for the sport's future in the Olympics. \"Keeping boxing's place at the Olympic Games is absolutely critical to the future of our sport,\" he said. Van der Vorst emphasized the organization's commitment to further improvements to ensure boxing remains integral to the Olympic Movement.
With World Boxing now on the IOC's radar, the path towards Olympic inclusion for the 2028 Games becomes clearer, overcoming one of the sport's most significant hurdles.
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IOC grants provisional recognition to new governing body World Boxing
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