Boxing has officially been reinstated to the Olympic program for the Los Angeles 2028 Games after receiving unanimous approval from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
During the IOC’s 144th session in Athens on Thursday, all member states voted in favor of boxing’s inclusion. IOC President Thomas Bach, acknowledging the unanimous decision, expressed his excitement about the sport’s return, stating, “We can now look forward to a great Olympic boxing tournament.”
The Road to Reinstatement
- Governance Issues: The sport’s Olympic status had been uncertain due to concerns over the governance of its previous overseeing body, the International Boxing Association (IBA), formerly known as AIBA.
- IOC Intervention: The IOC suspended AIBA in 2019 over financial transparency and governance issues, eventually stripping it of Olympic recognition in 2023.
- Temporary Oversight: A special IOC task force managed boxing events at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics, but the IOC had made it clear that this would not continue for 2028.
The Rise of World Boxing
To ensure boxing’s Olympic future, a new governing body, World Boxing, was formed. The organization quickly gained momentum, with 88 national federations from five continents joining, representing over 500,000 boxers worldwide.
- In February 2024, the IOC granted World Boxing provisional recognition, signaling a pathway for the sport’s return.
- By Monday, the IOC’s executive board had approved boxing’s inclusion, pending a full vote.
- On Thursday, the final decision was confirmed with unanimous support.
Former world middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, now chairman of the World Boxing Olympic Commission, and World Boxing President Boris van der Vorst were present in Athens for the historic moment.
President Bach welcomed the decision, congratulating World Boxing and urging them to continue their work in ensuring the sport’s integrity at the Olympic level. With boxing’s place in the LA 2028 Olympics now secured, preparations for an exciting tournament can begin.
