Kazakh boxers at risk of being left without Olympic Games

10.09.2022, 14:50 ratel.kz

The International Olympic Committee Executive Board approved a new boxing qualification system for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and confirmed that boxing had been excluded from the preliminary programme of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, since the IOC is seriously concerned with the state of affairs in the International Boxing Association (IBA) and will keep monitoring the process of reforming the IBA, Kazinform learned from Sports.kz. Earlier, in April, the IOC approved the IBA-developed qualification system for the 2024 Paris Games, but in June it stripped the IBA of holding the qualification for the Olympic Games. Previously, the IOC banned the IBA from the Tokyo Olympic Games Qualification. Both the qualification and the Olympic tournament were held under the governance of the IOC working group. According to IOC, the responsibility for the boxing competitions in the following events will therefore not lie with the IBA, namely: Pan-American Games – Santiago 2023, European Games – Krakow 2023, Pacific Games – Honiara 2023, Asian Games – Hangzhou 2022 (taking place in 2023), and ANOCA (Africa) multisport event – to be confirmed. In 2024, the IOC plans to hold two world qualification tournaments to distribute the remaining quotas. "Boxing is currently not included in the sports programme of the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028. Considering the absence of a real evolution, the IOC Executive Board is not in a position to reverse this decision and will continue to monitor with grave concerns IBA’s governance", - a letter from the IOC to IBA President Umar Kremlev reads. On September 25, Yerevan will host an extraordinary meeting of the IBA, during which repeat election of the IBA President will be held. Kazakhstani boxers have traditionally been medal contenders at the Olympic Games. Photo: © Daily Storm.