International Boxing Association’s Appeal Rejected, Future of Olympic Boxing Uncertain

The International Boxing Association (IBA) has suffered a major setback as its appeal against the removal of its status as the world governing body for the sport has been rejected. The decision was made by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas), which stated that the IBA had not made sufficient changes in financial transparency, integrity of officials, and its overall culture.

The IBA was stripped of its status by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in June 2023 due to governance issues and alleged corruption. Despite the IBA’s claims of initiating extensive reforms, the Cas and IOC deemed them insufficient to warrant a reversal of the decision.

The Russian-led IBA is now considering whether to take the case to an appeal before the Swiss Federal Tribunal. However, the IOC has made it clear that national boxing federations and national Olympic committees need to find a new organizing partner by early next year to ensure the sport remains part of the Olympic Games.

In response to the decision, the IBA criticized Cas and the IOC for overlooking their reforms and questioned the independence of the two organizations. Meanwhile, a breakaway international federation called World Boxing was formed in April, with plans to seek recognition from Olympic organizers to replace the IBA and keep boxing on the program for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

The future of Olympic boxing now hangs in the balance, with the IOC urging national federations and NOCs to make the necessary decisions to secure the sport’s place in future Games. As the boxing world awaits further developments, the sport’s stakeholders must come together to ensure a bright future for boxing on the Olympic stage.