No boxing in 2028 LA Olympics? Decision to be made by 2025
Boxing may not be part of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics if the International Olympic Committee (IOC) fails to find a new international boxing body by 2025.
IOC president Thomas Bach said on Friday that a decision on including boxing in the next Games will need to be made by next year.
According to Reuters, the national boxing federations are being urged to establish a new global boxing body to avoid missing out on the Olympics lineup.
“Because of the universality and high social inclusivity of boxing, the IOC wants it to continue to feature on the program of the Olympic Games,” the IOC said Wednesday.
“Unfortunately, this is far from certain for the Olympic Games LA 2028 because, for governance reasons, the IOC is not in a position to organize another Olympic boxing tournament. To keep boxing on the Olympic program, the IOC needs a recognized and reliable International Federation as a partner, as with all the other Olympic sports,” it continued.
In 2019, the IOC suspended the IBA due to concerns about "governance, finance, refereeing, and ethical issues," putting the sport on provisional status. As a result, the IOC was the one that organized the boxing competition at the Paris Olympics.
To secure boxing's place in the 2028 Los Angeles Games, a new organization, World Boxing, has been formed.
Its president, Boris van der Vorst, claims that joining World Boxing is the only way for national boxing federations to ensure the sport's inclusion. Currently, World Boxing has 37 members and aims to expand its membership to 50 or more. However, it is yet to be recognized by the IOC.
On the other hand, Breaking, an "urban dance style that originated in the United States in the 1970s" and the only new sport at the Paris Olympics, will be dropped as well.
Other events coming to the LA Olympics
Six new sports will be added to the program in the upcoming Olympics in Los Angeles, including the debut of flag football and squash.
While flag football has been added to the program, the IOC noted that it will be considered "may not return after the LA Games conclude."
Baseball and softball will also return to the competition after being absent from the 2024 Paris Games, while cricket and lacrosse are making its comeback after more than 120 years.
Skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing will become permanent Olympic sports starting in 2028.
'Sport at its best'
During the closing ceremony last Aug. 11, Bach described the Paris Games as "sport at its best."
"These were sensational Olympic Games from start to finish," Bach said. "Or dare I say: Seine-sational Games," he said.
The United States topped the Olympics with 126 medals (40 golds, 44 silvers, and 42 bronzes).
China also got 40 golds, though it had an overall medal haul of 91 (with 27 silvers and 24 bronzes).
The host France got 16 golds, 26 silvers, and 22 bronzes.
The Philippines performed exceptionally well in this year's Olympics, achieving its highest-ever medal count. The country secured two gold medals in gymnastics and two bronze medals in boxing, placing it in a tie with Hong Kong, China, for 37th place.