World Boxing moves closer to IOC nod

MANILA, Philippines — It’s an early rise for ABAP chairman Ricky Vargas as he attends a World Boxing Executive Board meeting by zoom at four this morning (Manila time) with the prospect of gaining IOC recognition coming close to reality. IOC is poised to eliminate boxing from the Olympic calendar in Los Angeles in 2028 but has opened talks with World Boxing to keep it in the schedule on condition the federation is accredited.

After disenfranchising the International Boxing Association, IOC has supervised boxing in the Tokyo and Paris Olympics. However, IOC mandated that starting the LA Olympics, a new federation must take over the conduct of competitions. World Boxing has to meet the standard of global representation before receiving accreditation from IOC and so far, has 44 members from five continents. The countries that recently joined were Chinese Taipei, Pakistan, Bhutan, Fiji, Ecuador, Japan and Algeria. Kazakhstan has applied for World Boxing membership and approval is imminent with the appointment of Kazakhstan Olympic Committee president and 2004 Olympic silver medalist Gennady Golovkin as chair of the World Boxing Olympic Commission.

Vargas said the agenda for today’s meeting includes a discussion on the preparations for the congress in Colorado Springs, US on Nov. 3, report on the progress of seeking IOC recognition, update on World Boxing membership, summary of upcoming events and review of finances.

World Boxing is headed by an Executive Board and president Boris van der Vorst of the Netherlands, all elected during the inaugural congress in Frankfurt last year. Vargas is the only Asian in the 14-strong Board.

“The addition of boxing powerhouse Kazakhstan will be a huge boost for World Boxing and having legend GGG as head of the new Olympic Commission to work closely with IOC for boxing’s inclusion in the LA 2028 program is definitely a substantial step,” said ABAP secretary-general Marcus Manalo.