IOC puts boxing 'on hold' for Los Angeles Olympics

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed on Monday that the inclusion of boxing in the 2028 Los Angeles Games is "on hold". Boxing, a sport steeped in Olympic tradition since 1920, is facing an uncertain long-term future on the grand stage of the Olympic Games.

This announcement comes as a significant blow to the sport's enthusiasts and athletes, who have been a staple of the Olympics for over a century. While boxing is set to feature in next year's Paris Games, the events of June dealt a severe blow to its global standing.

In June, the International Boxing Association (IBA) was effectively expelled from the Olympic movement. The expulsion was due to a bitter dispute between the Games' organizing committee and the then-president of IBA, Umar Kremlev, a Russian national.

The IOC's decision was grounded in concerns over several critical aspects of IBA's functioning, ranging from the credibility of IBA-sanctioned tournaments to the body's finances and governance.

The dispute with Umar Kremlev, who had been at the helm of IBA, brought into question the organization's ability to maintain its integrity and adhere to the principles upheld by the Olympic movement. The IOC's executive board, responsible for safeguarding the credibility of the Olympic Games, made the tough decision to withdraw its recognition of IBA as the governing body for boxing.

The ongoing issues with IBA have cast a shadow of doubt over the sport's Olympic future. While boxing remains part of the upcoming Paris Games, the status of its inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Games remains uncertain.