Lauren Price Warns of Disaster if Boxing is Removed from Olympic Games

Lauren Price, the Tokyo Games gold medallist in boxing, has issued a stark warning about the future of the sport in the Olympics. With boxing currently at risk of being excluded from the LA 2028 Games unless a new governing body is appointed, Price is throwing her support behind World Boxing as the last hope to save the sport.

The International Olympic Committee’s decision to strip the International Boxing Association (IBA) of recognition due to governance and ethical issues has left the sport in a precarious position. The IOC-run taskforce oversaw the boxing competition at the Tokyo Games and will do so again in Paris, but a replacement federation must be in place by early 2025 to ensure boxing’s inclusion in LA 2028.

Price, who is set to challenge for a world title in just her seventh professional fight, is urging national federations to join World Boxing and support the efforts to keep boxing in the Olympics. She believes that the universality and inclusivity of boxing make it essential for the sport to remain on the Olympic program.

World Boxing, a new governing body seeking recognition from the IOC, has emerged as the potential savior of Olympic boxing. With the clock ticking and the future of the sport hanging in the balance, Price and other boxing leaders are calling on national federations to rally behind World Boxing to ensure the continued presence of boxing in the Olympic Games.

The stakes are high, and the time for action is now. The fate of boxing as an Olympic sport rests in the hands of national federations, and the decision to support World Boxing could determine the future of the sport for generations to come. As Price prepares for her upcoming world title bout, the boxing community is united in its efforts to preserve the legacy and tradition of boxing in the Olympic movement.