Olympic chiefs want boxing back in Games for Los Angeles 2028

Boxing has edged closer to an Olympic return after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) executive board affirmed its desire to see the sport at Los Angeles 2028.

Boxing is yet to be officially included in the Olympic programme for LA, with turmoil surrounding the sport’s governing body proving a tricky obstacle to overcome.

But after the IOC granted provisional recognition to World Boxing as the sport’s international governing body, the executive board has now recommended boxing’s inclusion as the Games return to the United States.

Boxing was on course to crash out of the Olympics but is now edging nearer a return (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

This acts as a major step forward in efforts to see boxing at LA 2028 following years of controversy outside the ring.

The IOC has taken charge of boxing for the past two Olympics after the Russian-led International Boxing Association (IBA) was suspended as boxing’s global governor in 2019. This ruling was made due to an array of governance, financial, refereeing and ethical issues – and after failing to implement reforms, the IBA was stripped of its status in June 2023.

The IOC had also been at odds with the IBA over the participation of two fighters during Paris 2024: Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting and Algeria’s Imane Khelif, the latter of whom was the subject of intense global media scrutiny during the Games.

The IBA previously banned the boxers during the 2023 World Championships after claiming they had failed gender eligibility tests, but the IOC allowed them to compete in Paris, where they both won gold medals in their respective weight classes.

Imane Khelif won welterweight gold at Paris 2024, a year after the IBA banned her from competing at the 2023 World Championships (AP)

After the stripping of the IBA’s status, the creation of a new world governing body became the order of the day for boxing in efforts to include the sport at the next Games.

This led to World Boxing coming to fruition, comprising 78 members including Great Britain.

And while World Boxing only earned provisional IOC recognition last month, Games chiefs have wasted no time in putting the sport forward for LA.

They have recommended boxing be added to the programme by the IOC, who will meet this week to vote on whether they approve the executive board’s proposal. If they vote in favour, boxing will be made a part of LA 2028, with its Olympic status restored.