GB Boxing have confirmed that GB boxers will not partake in the upcoming IBA Women’s World Amateur Championships in March.
The news follows boycotts of the same tournament by USA Boxing and the Irish Athletics Boxing Association in recent weeks.
The decision referenced concerns regarding IBA’s failure to adhere to resolutions handed down by the International Olympic Committee following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year.
Previous concerns expressed by the IOC regarding the financial transparency and officiating process of the IBA also played a role in GB’s boycotting of the March tournament.
The statement reads, in full: “The decision reflects on-going concerns about the future of boxing’s place on the Olympic programme and the recent move by IBA to allow boxers from Russia and Belarus to compete under their national flags, which contravenes resolutions passed by the IOC in February and December 2022.”
“This has put further distance between IBA and the Olympic movement in addition to the significant, longstanding issues over sporting integrity, governance, transparency and financial management which the IOC has asked IBA to address to protect boxing’s place on the Olympic programme.
“GB Boxing condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine and has solidarity with the people, boxers, coaches and officials of Ukraine.
“GB Boxing’s participation at the IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships in May 2023 is under review and the board will make a decision on this closer to the event.
“GB Boxing is committed to delivering the best possible preparation for our boxers in the build-up to Paris 2024 and we will continue to work with national federations and tournament organisers to provide training and competition opportunities in advance of the Olympic qualifying events that begin in June 2023 with the European Games in Poland.”
As things currently stand, boxing is not included in the programme for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
The IOC have also raised the prospect of removing the sport from the Paris Olympics in 2024.
A second letter was sent to the IBA in December due to concerns that the “drastic change of culture requested by the IOC in order to lift the suspension of IBA’s recognition has not been implemented.”
The IBA was suspended from involvement in the sport at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 with an IOC Boxing Task Force overseeing the tournament instead.
The suspension is yet to be lifted with the 2024 Games just over 12 months away.
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