NL: World Boxing recently confirmed that five new countries had joined, taking the total to 42. Given that the organisation is still relatively new [formed in April 2023], what are World Boxing’s plans to facilitate this growing number in terms of championships and a satisfactory calendar?
BVDV: Providing high-quality competition opportunities that enable boxers to develop and progress is central to the work of World Boxing and, by working with key stakeholders, national federations and trusted organisations, we have developed a calendar of competition opportunities for boxers at all levels.
This year’s World Boxing Cup events in England and the USA have received very positive feedback from boxers and teams that took part and we will continue to build on these and expand our competition calendar.
In the latter part of this year, we will host our first World Boxing Cup in Asia and our first global competition with the U19 World Boxing Championships in the USA, so our portfolio of tournaments is continuing to grow and deliver opportunities to compete for our members.
NL: What communication did World Boxing have with the IOC after Paris 2024 regarding how best to secure the sport’s Olympic future, and its place at LA 2028?
BVDV: Since it expelled the previous international federation [the International Boxing Association, in June 2023], the IOC has made it abundantly clear that the only way that boxing will be restored to the programme for LA2028 is if it has a trusted and reliable international federation to work with that has support of the national federations. World Boxing is that international federation.
We have established relations with the IOC, following a meeting in May 2024, and World Boxing has developed a pathway to ensuring that boxing is part of LA2028. This pathway is dependent upon national federations, and the IOC has made it clear that any country that wants to see their boxers have the opportunity to compete at a future Olympic Games needs to take immediate steps to join World Boxing.
This is the only course of action that will ensure that Paris 2024 is not the last time we see boxing at the Olympic Games. We cannot allow boxing to exit the Olympic stage, and I invite every national federation that cares about their boxers and the future of the sport to take immediate steps to join World Boxing now and work with us to ensure that boxing continues to remain at the heart of the Olympic movement.
NL: Last year, members of the Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) voted narrowly in favour of remaining with the International Boxing Association (IBA). Much of the reason for that surrounded uncertainty about World Boxing’s long-term plans - how can World Boxing reassure those members a year down the line, with another vote expected in the coming months?
BVDV: Since it was launched, World Boxing has achieved an enormous amount and established itself as a credible organisation that operates according to the principles of integrity, honesty and excellence.
We have 42 high-quality member national federations from all five continents that participate in boxing and, following conversations with the leaders of numerous national federations at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, I am very confident we will soon have more than 50 members.
With the support of our national federations, World Boxing is delivering a calendar of high-quality competitions and will stage its first global competition in the USA in the latter part of this year. We have also secured commercial partnerships with Nike Boxing and Sting, which shows that prestigious brands want to be associated with World Boxing.
The IOC has made its position very clear on the future of boxing in the Olympic Games and my message to all national federations is if they want their boxers to have the opportunity to compete at an Olympic Games in the future, then they need to take immediate steps to join World Boxing.
This is the only path that will see boxing remain in the Olympic Games after Paris 2024, and all national federations must act now.
NL: The president of the Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI), Sarah Keane, said recently that the OFI will withdraw recognition of the IABA as Ireland’s national federation in the coming months - at the request of the IOC - unless the IABA link up with World Boxing. Boxing is Ireland’s most successful Olympic sport, how important is it that Ireland joins World Boxing? And how confident are World Boxing that this will happen?
BVDV: World Boxing understands the importance of Olympic boxing to Ireland and would welcome a membership application from the IABA.
Olympic-style boxing faces many challenges, and I have no doubt that having successful, well-respected national federations, like the IABA, working co-operatively and collaboratively with World Boxing would be a significant benefit to the future development and direction of the sport.
Likewise, I am sure that that it would be very disappointing for Ireland if its men and women were not able to compete at a future Olympic boxing tournament.
However, the IOC could not have made its position on this any clearer so the message to all national federations is that if they want to have any chance of their boxers appearing at a future Olympic Games then they have to join World Boxing.
NL: A judging controversy emerged during the recent Olympics, with revelations that two judges deemed to be at “high risk” of manipulating bouts were still active, while others were stood down mid competition - what plans to World Boxing have to address the ongoing issues the sport faces in this regard?
BVDV: World Boxing is committed to sporting integrity and all of our major competitions are subject to independent, third-party oversight designed to ensure fair competition for the boxers where the outcome of the bout is determined solely by performance in the ring.
We are investigating a wide range of technology based options to enhance the way that bouts are scored and officiated and are committed to doing all we can to deliver sporting integrity and fairness.
