GB's decision stems from concern over the future of Olympic boxing, with the sport currently excluded from the 2028 Games, and IBA's decision to allow Russian and Belarussian boxers to compete under their national flags despite the ongoing war in Ukraine
Tuesday 14 February 2023 12:17, UK
GB Boxing will not send a team next month's IBA’s Women’s World Championships in New Delhi.
By boycotting the event Britain is joining the USA and Ireland who have also announced that they will not participate.
It comes with boxing's future in the Olympic Games in doubt as the sport is currently excluded from the 2028 Olympic programme due to issues with corruption and the governance of world governing body, the International Boxing Association, as well as the IBA's decision to allow Russian and Belarussian boxers to compete under their national flags despite the ongoing war in Ukraine.
In a statement, GB Boxing said: "The decision reflects ongoing concerns about the future of boxing's place on the Olympic programme and the recent move by IBA to allow boxers from Russia and Belarus to compete under their national flags, which contravenes resolutions passed by the IOC [International Olympic Committee] in February and December 2022.
"This has put further distance between IBA and the Olympic movement in addition to the significant, longstanding issues over sporting integrity, governance, transparency and financial management which the IOC has asked IBA to address to protect boxing's place on the Olympic programme.
"GB Boxing condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine and has solidarity with the people, boxers, coaches and officials of Ukraine."
There is also a Men's World Championships coming up this year and GB will decide down the line as to whether they will send a team.
"GB Boxing's participation at the IBA Men's World Boxing Championships in May 2023 is under review and the board will make a decision on this closer to the event," the spokesperson said.
Because the IOC has already suspended IBA from administering Olympic boxing for the 2024 Games, there will be a qualification event later this year that will be run by a separate task force.
Great Britain will compete in that.
"GB Boxing is committed to delivering the best possible preparation for our boxers in the build-up to Paris 2024 and we will continue to work with national federations and tournament organisers to provide training and competition opportunities in advance of the Olympic qualifying events that begin in June 2023 with the European Games in Poland," they said.
Boxing has been a highly successful sport for Britain. At the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021 GB secured its best boxing medal haul in a hundred years with six medals, including the gold medal triumphs of Lauren Price and Galal Yafai.
USA Boxing concluded that any participation in the IBA World Championships would violate not only IOC sanctions but also the principles of fair play, integrity, and transparency.
The US has already ruled out sending a team to the men's World championships as well as the women's Worlds.
The Irish Athletic Boxing Association has reached the same conclusion as their US counterparts and won't participate in the men's or women's Worlds.
In a statement the IABA urged "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 organization which has their welfare, their futures, and their sport at its heart."
After the USA and Ireland announced their boycotts, IBA stated that they have "been making great strides in implementing reforms and cultivating a new culture within the sport".
In a statement they said: "This attack on IBA, cannot be seen as anything other than a clear act to damage IBA's reputation and breach the values IBA professes while failing to acknowledge the tremendous work done by IBA and supporting the governing body in its efforts and best intentions."
They added that "IBA will support any athlete that wants to participate in the World championships, to allow them to fulfil their dream of becoming a World champion. We will protect our athletes, coaches, and the IBA Constitution."
IBA president Umar Kremlev said at a press conference: "This decision doesn't belong to the athletes themselves. Not one of the sports administrators or politicians in the world is entitled to deprive athletes of their dream to become World champions.
"Boxers dedicate their whole life to the sport, while administrators and politicians come to and go. Those, who are doing this to our athletes, are worse than hyenas and jackals, they violate the integrity of sport and culture."
