Boxing is set to feature at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028. The International Olympic Committee Session has voted in favour of including the sport in the upcoming Summer Games after the executive board recommendation.
The development comes after the IOC provisionally recognised World Boxing as the body to oversee the sport at future Olympics last month.
The sport was initially not a part of the programme for Los Angeles Olympics 2028 as its governing body IBA -led by Russia- was terminated from the Olympic movement.
It was disbanded from the Olympic Games after being embroiled in a number of officiating scandals, corruption allegations and lack of financial transparency.
Road To LA28
IOC president Thomas Bach had warned that the sport’s national federations needed to find a new and “reliable” international partner if it wanted to be included at the 2028 Games.
Last month World Boxing was formed to oversee the future of sports, replacing IBA. This led to the Olympic recognition of the sport.
“I thank you for the approval of having boxing back. We can look forward to a great boxing tournament,” IOC president Thomas Bach said.
Boxing at the Olympic Games
The sport was first included in the modern Olympic Games in 1904, and has been contested at every edition since then except for Stockholm 1912, due to a local law banning the sport at the time.
At the Paris Olympic Games 2024, the competitions and its qualifying tournaments were held under the supervision of the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit, an interim task force created by the IOC EB following the suspension of the IBA.
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New gender eligibility rules to be decided soon
The sport’s governing body launched investigation into the gender eligibility row at the Olympic Games last year, and is expected to announce its findings in coming days.
Boris van der Vorst, the president of governing body said, “There’s no specific timeline, but I expect it within two or three weeks. We want to have it before our next competition in Brazil.”
