Boxing was included on Thursday in the Olympic program in Los Angeles in 2028 after a unanimous vote of the International Olympic Committee, ending years of doubts about the future of Olympic sport.
Last month, the IOC granted the momentary recognition of World Boxing in a vast step towards incorporating sport in the Los Angeles Games, and the Board of the IOC approved, including boxing in the 2028 program at the beginning of this week. The Thursday decision formally assured that the presence of Olympic sport would continue.
“Thank you for approving the return of boxing. We can expect a great boxing tournament,” said IOC President Thomas Bach.
The boxing competition at the Paris 2024 Games was led by the IOC after the international boxing association was deprived of recognizing in 2023 due to the lack of implementation of reforms in the field of management and finance.
The IOC did not include sport in the initial program 2028 and called on the National Boxing Federations to create a fresh global boxing body to replace IBA.
World boxing, currently with over 80 national federation as members, was published in 2023.
“This is a great day for boxers, boxing and all related to our sport at every level around the world,” said boxing president Boris van der Vorst. “This result was achieved through the huge effort of the team … And it would not be possible without the strenuous work and commitment of all national federations, boxers, trainers, officials and boxing leaders who worked together to make it happen.
“World Boxing understands that being part of the Olympic Games is a privilege, not a law, and we are determined to be a trustworthy and reliable partner who will observe and maintain the values of the Olympic movement.”
The IOC said that only athletes, whose national federation was members of world boxing until the start of qualification events at the 2028 Olympic Games could take part in Los Angeles.
The IOC suspended IBA, led by the Russian businessman Umara Kremlev with close connections with Kremlin, in 2019 due to management, finance, judges and ethical issues. It was not associated with IBA in conducting boxing events at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021, and in sporadic movement two years later he deprived him of recognition.
Since the suspension of IBA and Kremlev, they have been still meeting with the IOC, especially on the principles of qualifying for women in the Olympic Games in Paris.
Iba said last month that she was planning to submit criminal complaints against the IOC in the United States, France and Switzerland.