IOC board approves boxing for inclusion in 2028 Olympics

Boxing is set to be included in the programme for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics after the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) executive board approved its inclusion ahead of its 144th session starting Tuesday.

The decision follows the IOC's granting of provisional recognition to World Boxing last month, effectively sidelining the International Boxing Association (IBA) and transferring authority to the new governing body.

The March 18-21 IOC Session, which will also elect a new president to succeed Thomas Bach, is expected to ratify the executive board's decision for the inclusion of boxing in the 2028 LA Games roster. "After the provisional recognition of World Boxing in February, then we were in the position to take this decision so that ... this recommendation of course has to go to the session," Bach said after the executive board meeting.

"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 in LA if their national federation is recognised by world boxing."

The IOC had overseen the boxing competition at the 2024 Paris Games after it derecognised the IBA in 2023 due to a prolonged dispute over governance issues and concerns regarding the integrity of bouts.

Welcoming the decision, World Boxing president Boris van der Vorst said: "This is a very significant and important decision for Olympics boxing and takes the sport one step closer to being restored to the Olympics programme. I have no doubt it will be very positively received by everyone connected with boxing.”