The future of Olympic boxing was plunged to further doubt in Yerevan on Sunday as delegates of the sport’s world governing body, the International Boxing Association (IBA), voted emphatically against permitting a leadership
challenge to incumbent president Umar Kremlev.
After a 45-minute delay caused by a power cut in the Armenian capital, the Russian was backed to continue by 106 votes to 36 at a specially convened Extraordinary Congress, in a verdict widely assumed to shatter hopes of thesport securing a place on the programme for Los Angeles 2028.
Afterwards, Kremlev delivered a bullish speech in which he appeared to prioritise a new, post-Olympic path for the organisation, insisting: “We shouldn’t say Olympic boxing, we should say IBA boxing.”
In a statement, the IOC said it was “extremely concerned” about the circumstances surrounding the Congress, specifically the voting procedure and the decision by the IBA to suspend the Ukrainian Federation over perceivedgovernmental concerns.
It added: “Following these disturbing developments, the IOC (executive board) will have to fully review the situation at its next meeting.”