The International Boxing Association has called on the new administration of US President Donald Trump to “investigate” the sport’s removal from the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) suspended the IBA, which runs the boxing program for the Olympic Games, in 2019, citing concerns over finance, governance, ethics, officiating and adjudication.
The IBA was stripped of its role after failing to implement the necessary reforms set out by the IOC. This decision was upheld on appeal by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) in April 2024.
The IOC, which hosted boxing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 Paris Olympics, has said it will not feature boxing at future Olympics, but hopes the sport will be reinstated on the program through a new international federation. .
At the moment, boxing is not included in the plans for 2028, but a final decision on its inclusion has not yet been made.
World Boxing, which hopes to gain approval to operate Olympic boxing, has already reached 60 members.
But the Russian-led IBA, which is seeking to reestablish its own governing status, has called on President Donald Trump, who was sworn in as U.S. president for the second time on Monday, to help reinstate boxing as an Olympic sport.
“They (IOC) have announced in the last 12 months that boxing will not be included in the Olympic program in LA28. We would be very grateful if your teams would consider this situation,” the IBA said in a statement to the IBA. stated in a letter. Trump read.
“We sincerely hope that boxing will be part of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic festivities, a great show that shows the true love for the sport of the American people and fans around the world.”
Trump, who had a brief foray into promoting boxing in the early 1990s, was elected to a four-year term and will assume office when Los Angeles hosts the Olympics in 2028.
