International Boxing body to hold board meeting "with view to suspending" Russians & Belarusians

The International Boxing Association (IBA) on Tuesday said it would convene a meeting of its board of directors later this week "with a view to suspending" Russian and Belarusian boxers from competition owing to the invasion of Ukraine that has evoked worldwide condemnation.

The IBA said the move was necessitated by the International Olympic Committee's recent recommendation, calling on international federations to suspend Russia, which has invaded Ukraine and found support from Belarus. "Following IOC recommendations regarding the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes, and with a view to suspending these athletes from competition, IBA has convened a meeting of the IBA Board of Directors," the IBA stated.

"The meeting will take place later this week," it added. Incidentally, the IBA is headed by a Russian in Umar Kremlev, who has been at the helm of affairs since 2020 after winning the presidential elections of the body. The IBA is set to hold fresh elections by June this year. "As previously confirmed, the IBA Board of Directors will also consider the status of the Global Boxing Cup, scheduled to take place in Russian cities in June of this year."

Russia's invasion of Ukraine last week triggered global condemnation and the country is being suspended from international sporting events. Most recently, Russian teams were suspended from all international football, including qualifying matches for the 2022 World Cup. This was after the IOC Executive Board issued an "urgent recommendation not to organise any sports event in Russia or Belarus."

IOC EB also strongly urged International Sports Federations and organisers of events to "do everything in their power to ensure that no athlete or sports official from Russia or Belarus be allowed to take part under the name of Russia or Belarus."