The Independent Integrity Unit of the International Boxing Association has opened an investigation into officials from the USA, Canada, the Czech Republic, Sweden and New Zealand over what they claim are breaches of the IBA Disciplinary and Ethics Code relating to inciting a boycott.
All five nations, together with Ireland, Britain, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Ukraine and Switzerland have announced they will not be sending teams to the Women’s World Championship in New Delhi in two weeks’ time.
It is likely that disciplinary proceedings will follow against them in time.
The IBA allowed Russian and Belarus boxers back into competition at the end of last year, in contravention of a generally upheld boycott of those nations due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine over one year ago today.
The IBA President Umar Kremlev is Russian and known to be close to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The organisation’s principal sponsor up until December was Russian energy giant Gazprom which invested $50 million in the latest two-year deal.
UEFA was one of the sporting organisations that cut ties with the company as part of sanctions aimed at punishing Russia for the invasion. While no deal has been confirmed
Against the background of the IBA effectively acting as a pariah federation, boxing’s future at the Olympic Games itself has been cast into doubt. It is being organised outside of the IBA’s control for Paris and has been left off the provisional list of sports for LA in 2028.
The IBA has put up a $2.4 million prize fund for the Women’s World Championship with winners in the 12 weight categories taking home $100,000 each, silver medallists $50,000 and bronze medallists $25,000.
In the statement announcing the prize money the IBA sought to appeal over the heads of national federations by saying “To give all athletes the right to compete at the World Boxing Championships and not be the victim of the political games of a few National Federations, the IBA uses an open process for registration for athletes from the boycotting nations to compete at the World Boxing Championships.”
“In addition to the open process for athlete registration, the IBA has declared its utmost commitment to doing whatever possible including financial aid through its Financial Support Program (FSP) to ensure that all boycotting National Federation athletes are able to fight for glory and achieve their dream of becoming a World Champion.”
Beatriz Ferreira, who Kellie Harrington beat in the Tokyo Olympic Final is listed as one of the boxers ready to fight in India. She turned pro in 2022 and is managed by Eddie Hearn and Brian Peters, the same team behind Katie Taylor.
Professional boxers have been allowed to compete in World Championships and in the Olympic Games since 2016.
Ireland topped the medals table at the 2022 European Championships with Kellie Harrington, Amy Broadhurst and Aoife O’Rourke all winning gold at Lightweight, light welterweight and middleweight respectively. Broadhurst and Lisa O’Rourke are defending champions from last year’s IBA World Championships.
The Irish Athletic Boxing Association voted to boycott the World Championships last month saying “The IABA urges the IBA to engage in governance reform and implement the recommendations of its own experts on fiscal responsibility, fair play, and inclusion.”
“IBA practices and activities are not of the standard required to secure our sport’s future. There are no winners in the current landscape.
“All members deserve a level playing field in tournaments run to the highest possible standard by an organisation which has their welfare, their futures, and their sport at its heart.”
None of the individual Irish boxers have made any statement on the situation, as is their right, though this must be an absolutely devastating blow being caught up in the political storm.
Amy Broadhurst described her World Championship victory last year as a dream come true.
