IOC Proposes Boxing for LA28 Olympic Programme

TDT | Manama

Email : hussianm@newsofbahrain.com

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board has proposed boxing's inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games (LA28), signaling a major step forward for the sport’s resurgence under World Boxing’s leadership.

IOC President Thomas Bach announced the proposal at a press conference held on Monday at the IOC EB gathering in Costa Navarino, Greece. The meeting, which precedes the 144th IOC Session scheduled from 19-21 March, marks the culmination of a series of efforts to restore boxing to the Olympic stage. The IOC will now vote to approve the proposal later this week, which could finally end a years-long struggle with boxing's uncertain Olympic future.

“After the provisional recognition of World Boxing in February, we were in the position to make this decision,” said Bach. “This recommendation is being forwarded to the session, and I am confident that it will be approved, ensuring that boxers worldwide have clarity regarding their participation in the LA Olympic Games.”

While the decision is still subject to formal ratification by the IOC Session—a gathering of around 100 members—approval is expected to be a mere formality. The IOC had previously intervened to manage the boxing tournaments at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics, after ending its association with the International Boxing Association (IBA) due to concerns about financial governance and ethics.

Following the IOC's announcement, World Boxing, which was founded in April 2023 and officially recognized by the IOC last month, expressed its appreciation for the decision. In a statement, World Boxing President Boris van der Vorst highlighted the significance of the move for the future of Olympic boxing.

"This is a crucial step toward bringing boxing back to the Olympic programme,” said van der Vorst. “It will be welcomed by everyone connected with the sport, from grassroots to the highest levels. We are committed to upholding the values of the Olympic Charter and assure the IOC that, if boxing is reinstated for LA28, World Boxing will be a trustworthy and reliable partner."

The move marks a significant breakthrough for boxing, which has faced considerable challenges in recent years due to strained relations between the IOC and the IBA. Boxing’s future at the Olympic Games has been in doubt since 2019, when the IOC suspended the IBA over concerns about financial integrity, governance, and reforms. The IBA’s absence from the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics paved the way for World Boxing to step in and manage the events independently.

With this proposed move, boxing is on track for a potential return to the Olympic fold at LA28, ending years of uncertainty and conflict over the sport's Olympic future.