Boxing’s rollercoaster ride with the Olympics is finally heading toward a happy ending. The sport is set to return for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, and on Monday, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach shared the big news.
The IOC’s executive board has given its thumbs-up, and a final vote from around 100 members later this week should seal the deal—pretty much a formality,
if you ask Bach. “I am very confident that the session will approve it so that all the boxers of the world then have certainty that they can participate in the Olympic Games LA 2028 if their national federation is recognized by World Boxing,” he said, sounding like a coach hyping up his team.
A Fresh Start with World Boxing
Say hello to World Boxing, the sport’s new MVP. Recognized by the IOC just last month, this group is stepping in after the IOC dumped the Russian-led International Boxing Association (IBA) in 2019. The IBA’s messy management, shaky finances, and integrity scandals were too much, and by 2023, the IOC had cut them loose for good. World Boxing’s taking charge now, promising to clean up the mess and get rules—like those for women’s eligibility—sorted before qualifiers kick off in 2025. Big players like the U.S., UK, India, and even China are on board, though Russia and a few others are still sitting on the sidelines.
From Chaos to Hope
The last few years have been wild. The IOC had to run boxing itself at the Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024 Games because the IBA couldn’t get its act together. Now, with World Boxing calling the shots, there’s a real chance to bring some calm to the storm. President Boris van der Vorst couldn’t hide his excitement:
“This is a very significant and important decision for Olympic boxing and takes the sport one step closer to being restored to the Olympic program. I have no doubt it will be very positively received by everyone connected with boxing, at every level throughout the world.” You can almost hear the crowd cheering already.
The IBA’s Last Punch
Not everyone’s raising a glass, though. The IBA, led by Russia’s Umar Kremlev, is swinging back with lawsuits planned in the U.S., France, and Switzerland. Things got heated at the Paris Olympics over women’s eligibility rules, and the IBA’s still fuming. But for boxers dreaming of gold, this drama’s just noise. With World Boxing gearing up for 2025 qualifiers, the focus is on the future—and a shot at Olympic glory in LA. After all the chaos, it’s about time the sport got back in the ring where it belongs.