The Boxing Federation of India has agreed to become a member of newly-formed World Boxing, a newly formed international federation established to ensure the sport remains in the Olympic roster.
The membership application has been approved by the national federation’s General Assembly, and will be ratified by World Boxing’s Executive Board.
This development comes after the Boxing Federation of India President Ajay Singh met with the World Boxing’s president and secretary general to discuss ways in which India can support the international federation in growing its membership base in Asia.
“It is absolutely vital to the sustainability of boxing that it retains its Olympics status, so we are delighted to join World Boxing and look forward to working closely with the Executive Board and our fellow members to shape the future development of the sport and deliver a brighter future for boxers across the world,” Singh said on the development, in a release.
World Boxing was launched in April 2023 and aims to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement.
The International Olympic Committee, or IOC, withdrew its recognition of the previous boxing world body, the International Boxing Association in June 2023. The IOC had previously suspended the IBA on charges of corruption.
Additionally, the IOC warned that though the sport would remain a part of the 2024 Paris Olympics roster, it was in danger of being removed from the Olympic program for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles should boxing not find a new governing body.
World Boxing however, appears to be the new organisation that has found favour with the IOC. World Boxing and the IOC held its first formal meeting earlier this month.
“In both its public comments and during our recent meeting, the IOC has delivered a clear message to all National Federations that if they want boxers from their country to have the opportunity to compete at future Olympic Games then they must now join World Boxing,” said Boris van der Vorst, president of World Boxing.
World Boxing currently has members covering all of the five continents that compete in international boxing.
