Boxing's place in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics has been officially confirmed, following a unanimous vote by International Olympic Committee (IOC) members on Thursday, March 20. This decision marks a huge milestone for the sport, ensuring its continued presence on the Olympic stage.
Boxing to be part of LA Olympics
The confirmation comes after a crucial preliminary step, where the IOC Executive Board recognized World Boxing as the governing federation for the sport earlier in the week.
This recognition effectively resolves years of internal disputes and divisions that had plagued the administration of boxing. The decision to include boxing in the 2028 games ends a period of uncertainty and secures the sport's legacy, which has been a staple of the Olympics since 1904, with the sole exception of the 1912 Stockholm Games due to local legal restrictions.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) took unprecedented action by directly organising the boxing tournaments at both the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 Paris Olympics. This intervention stemmed from deep concerns regarding the financial, governance, and ethical practices of the then Russian-led International Boxing Association, leading to a formal break in their partnership.
IOC President Thomas Bach issued a clear directive, emphasising that the future of boxing in the 2028 Games hinged on national federations aligning with a new and 'reliable' international governing body. This call for reform was answered when, last month, the IOC granted provisional recognition to World Boxing as the organization tasked with overseeing the sport at future Olympic events. This recognition signaled a significant step towards stabilizing the sport's administration and securing its place within the Olympic program.
This vote concerning boxing's inclusion in the 2028 Olympics stands as one of the final significant decisions made under Thomas Bach's leadership, as his 12-year tenure as IOC president draws to a close. The selection of his successor is scheduled for a vote later on the same day, marking a pivotal moment for the organization.
The election features a field of seven candidates vying for the prestigious position. Among them, several individuals are considered front-runners, including IOC veteran Juan Antonio Samaranch Junior, World Athletics president Sebastian Coe, and former Olympic swimmer Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe.
Initially, boxing was omitted from the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games' sports program, which was approved by the IOC Session in February 2022. This exclusion stemmed from persistent concerns surrounding the then-governing body, the International Boxing Association (IBA). The situation remained unresolved, and boxing's inclusion was suspended after the IOC withdrew its recognition of the IBA on June 22, 2023.
The IOC stipulated that national boxing federations needed to unite under a newly recognized international federation (IF) for boxing to secure its place in the LA28 program. After a thorough evaluation of governance and sports integrity, the IOC Executive Board (EB) granted provisional recognition to World Boxing on February 26th. This new organization, currently comprising 88 national federations across five continents, met the IOC's criteria.
Boxing boasts a rich history within the Olympic Games. Its introduction to the modern Olympics dates back to 1904, and since then, it has been a consistent presence, with the sole exception of the 1912 Stockholm Games, where local laws prohibited the sport.