IOC Moves to Reinstate Boxing for LA 2028

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has recommended boxing’s inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, pending final approval at its session in Greece this week.

IOC President Thomas Bach confirmed the decision at a press conference on Monday, saying, “After the provisional recognition of World Boxing in February we were in the position to take this decision so that this recommendation has to go to the session. I am confident the session will approve it.”

The move follows years of uncertainty after the IOC stripped the International Boxing Association (IBA) of recognition in 2023 due to governance and financial concerns. In response, national boxing federations established World Boxing, which now has over 80 member nations and was provisionally recognized by the IOC in February 2024.

Boris van der Vorst, president of World Boxing, hailed the development. “This is a very significant and important decision for Olympic boxing and takes the sport one step closer to being restored to the Olympic programme,” he said. “I have no doubt it will be very positively received by everyone connected with boxing, at every level throughout the world.”

Athletes competing in Los Angeles must belong to national federations affiliated with World Boxing by the time qualification events begin, according to the IOC.

IOC sports director Kit McConnell clarified the timeline, stating, “Somewhere between two years before the Games. It is not frozen. Now we see an acceleration of the number of federations joining [World Boxing]. They need to be members at the time of the qualification events.”

The Paris 2024 boxing competition will be organized by the IOC, continuing the approach taken for Tokyo 2021 after the IBA’s suspension in 2019. The upcoming IOC vote is widely expected to secure boxing’s place in LA 2028, ensuring the sport remains a staple of the Olympic Games.