The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that boxing will be part of the sports program for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. This decision was confirmed by the IOC president, Thomas Bach. Although the inclusion requires formal approval in the IOC plenary session later this week, Bach expressed confidence that the process will go smoothly.
"I am very confident that the session will approve it, so that all boxers in the world can be assured that they will be able to participate in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games if their national federation is recognized by World Boxing," said the IOC president.
Boxing has been part of the Olympic program since 1904; however, in recent years its presence has been in doubt due to governance issues, refereeing, and financial management within the International Boxing Association (AIBA). In 2019, the International Olympic Confederation suspended recognition of AIBA and took control of organizing the Olympic tournaments in Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024.
The key to the definitive reinstatement of boxing was the recognition of the new governing body, World Boxing, which was established in February of this year. This body will now be responsible for overseeing the discipline and ensuring standards of transparency and fairness in the tournaments. With this, the IOC aims to provide stability and confidence to boxers worldwide, ensuring their participation in Los Angeles 2028 and the future of this sport within the competition.
