On Wednesday, the International Boxing Association (IBA) announced it is assessing a verdict from the leading court in international sports, which rejected its appeal against the removal of its Olympic recognition. The IBA is also considering taking the matter to the Swiss Federal Tribunal.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC), in June, decided to remove the IBA’s recognition due to its failure to execute reforms on governance, finance and ethical matters. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed the IBA’s appeal on Tuesday.
The IBA, via a press statement on Wednesday, says it had made substantial progress in the areas pinpointed by the CAS. It contends that the court and the IOC had failed to acknowledge its comprehensive reforms.
The IBA communicated it will withhold from making any further comments until its legal experts have thoroughly dissected the CAS award. The aim is to decide whether or not to appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal.
Meanwhile, last month, the World Boxing faction declared it would endeavour to gain recognition from Olympic organisers to substitute the IBA and retain the sport in the schedule for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
The IOC expressed its support for the CAS’s decision. It now holds national boxing federations and national Olympic committees (NOCs) accountable for finding an international federation partner by next year to sustain the sport’s presence in the Olympics.
The IOC, in a statement, clarified that a reputable, widely recognised International Federation partner is required to keep boxing in the Olympic programme, as is the case with all other Olympic sports.
While the IOC is organising the boxing tournaments at the Paris Games this summer, it has reiterated that this is not a sustainable solution. The fate of Olympic boxing now rests in the hands of the NOCs and national boxing federations and the steps they decide to take.
At present, boxing is not included in the LA28 Olympic Games sports programme. To rectify this, the IOC emphasises a need for an International Federation partner for boxing by early 2025.