IOC Pushes for New Boxing Federation Ahead of LA 2028 Games

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) aims to have boxing at the Los Angeles 2028 Games but requires the establishment of a new global governing body. The IOC stripped the International Boxing Association (IBA) of recognition due to governance and financial issues. The new organization, World Boxing, currently has 37 members but isn't recognized by the IOC yet.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has expressed its desire to bring boxing to the Los Angeles 2028 Games, contingent on the establishment of a new global governing body for the sport. The IOC revoked recognition of the International Boxing Association (IBA) last year due to governance and financial lapses, leaving boxing off the LA 2028 program for now.

IOC spokesperson Mark Adams emphasized the need for the boxing community to reorganize to ensure the sport’s presence in Los Angeles. Despite the launch of World Boxing in 2023, which has 37 members, the new body is yet to be recognized by the IOC.

Recent tensions between the IOC and IBA have been exacerbated by disputes over gender ineligibility and the involvement of questionable sponsors. Adams pointed to a chaotic IBA press conference as evidence that a new governing body is urgently needed. The IOC, which ran boxing competitions without IBA at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, will not do so in Los Angeles.