Olympic boxing: World Boxing reaches 60 members

World Boxing, a breakaway international federation hoping to secure recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) says it has reached 60 members.

The federation formed in April after the International Boxing Association (IBA) was stripped of its status as boxing’s world governing body in June 2023, having initially been suspended in 2019.

National federations for Cambodia, Dominican Republic, Jordan, Myanmar and Palestine were approved by World Boxing on 12 December.

“World Boxing has achieved an enormous amount in the last 12 months and to approach the end of the year with 60 members is a fantastic achievement and conclusive evidence of the widespread desire for change that exists in international boxing,” president of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst said.

“The decision of so many national federations to join World Boxing is a sign of the critical importance of remaining part of the Olympic movement to the future health and stability of our sport and a recognition that this can only be achieved by countries joining and supporting World Boxing.”

World Boxing said the new members completed a “rigorous application process”.

“Their statutes and operating processes, are able to demonstrate: a transparent and open election process; the existence and operation of WADA-recognised anti-doping polices and processes; a structured, dispute resolution and appeals process; a solid national and international boxing sports programme; and formal recognition by either their National Olympic Committee (NOC) or Ministry for Sport,” World Boxing said.

Great Britain became a member of World Boxing in April 2023.

Boxing at the past two editions of the Olympic Games in Tokyo and Paris has been organised by the IOC.

The Russian-led IBA and the IOC have been at loggerheads for years, due to concerns about the IBA’s finances and ethics.

After the removal of its status governing the sport, the IBA launched an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

That appeal was rejected by Cas on the grounds that the IBA had not made enough change in financial transparency, integrity of officials and its culture.