Founded just this year, 2023, World Boxing has quickly grown to more than 100 national federations—already forming a diverse and wide-ranging membership. This rapid expansion follows an increase in scrutiny over the governance of the International Boxing Association (IBA). More recently, in mid-February, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) provisionally recognized World Boxing. Now, World Boxing is prepared to take charge of the Olympic boxing competitions at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
The organization just recently voted in applications from 17 more national federations, which gave its total membership a fruitful score of 106. Cuba and Ireland have just entered the current round of federations. Both nations share a storied tradition in Olympic boxing. In addition to the U.S., other new members include Spain, Mexico, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Addressing Governance Concerns
World Boxing was created to address the issues that the IBA found itself burdened with. The IBA’s recognition by the IOC was withdrawn due to issues with governance and finance. The IOC’s decision to exclude the IBA from overseeing boxing at the Paris 2024 Olympics highlighted concerns about the sport’s future.
World Boxing was established to provide the sport with a more reliable, transparent and independent governance structure. This is important to help ensure athletes can compete with integrity on the international stage. The unanimous vote from the IOC to include boxing in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics has alleviated years of uncertainty about the sport’s Olympic future.
“It means that (with the exception of Russia and the Soviet Union) World Boxing’s membership now includes the 10 most successful countries of all time in Olympic boxing and 10 of the top 11 medal winning countries from Paris 2024.” – World Boxing
Upcoming Events and Future Plans
As part of this exciting new approach, World Boxing will bring its first world championships to Liverpool this September. This inaugural event will showcase some of Microsoft’s best and brightest talents from among its member federations. Further, it has made strengthening the UAE’s position in the global boxing landscape a top priority.
Boxing’s inclusion in the 2028 Olympics is a huge victory for World Boxing. The Games will provide athletes of all nationalities, including those from nations in conflict, an exhilarating space to test their talents against the world’s very best. The new organization’s leadership is passionate about developing talent and creating a level playing field among its member schools.
Leave a Reply