Boxers whose national federations are not part of the global boxing body provisionally recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) could miss out on the Los Angeles 2028 Games if the sport is included, IOC chief Thomas Bach said on Friday.
The IOC last month granted provisional recognition to World Boxing in a major step towards the sport’s inclusion in the 2028 Olympics.
The boxing competition at the Paris 2024 Games was run by the IOC after it stripped the International Boxing Association (IBA) of its recognition in 2023 over failure to implement reforms on governance and finance.
It has not included the sport on the LA 2028 programme yet, having urged national boxing federations to create a new global boxing body. World Boxing, which has close to 80 members, was launched in 2023.
“We were very satisfied with the development in World Boxing,” Bach, whose term ends in June, told a media roundtable.
“We’ll have in the next weeks a meeting of the Olympic programme commission (to) make a proposal for the programme in Los Angeles and depending on their proposal (that) would lead to the vote in the IOC session about the inclusion of boxing in the Olympic programme.”
With provisional recognition granted to World Boxing it is very unlikely for the very popular Olympic sport to miss out on the LA Games but Bach said athletes whose federations had not joined the boxing body could.
“Only National Olympic Committees can nominate their boxers for the Olympic Games and they will have to refer to their member federations who have to have the recognition of the IOC,” he said. “Otherwise it would be a pity for the boxers and the athletes.”
IOC confident of Trump support for LA 2028
United States President Donald Trump has been a long-time supporter and promoter of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and the International Olympic Committee is confident of his continued support, Bach said.
The Games were awarded to Los Angeles in 2017 when Trump was President. He also met Bach at the White House that year shortly before the Games were awarded to the city.
But Trump’s decision last month to ban transgender athletes from women’s sport in his country goes against an IOC rule that allows transgender athletes to take part in the Olympics. The Paralympics also allow transgender athletes to participate.
While the LA Games do not depend on federal funding like most other Olympics, as the project is privately funded, the federal government plays a key role in providing security, transport and travel assistance amongst other areas of support for the event.
“What my advice would be (to my successor) is to have confidence in the support of President Trump and his administration for the Games in Los Angeles.”
“He has been a promoter and supporter of these Games during his first term. These Games were allocated to Los Angeles during the first term. He loves sport.”
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