World Boxing: Sweden joins breakaway international governing body

A group of countries, including Sweden, the United States and Great Britain are quitting the International Boxing Association (IBA) to launch a brand new organisation called ”World Boxing”.

The goal of ”World Boxing” is to save the sports’s place on the Olympic programme, and is also a direct response to the ”persistent issues” that sorrounds IBA.

World Boxing will seek IOC recognition.

According to BBC, the organization will be led by an interim board made up of representatives from United States, Great Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, the Philippines, New Zealand and Sweden.

Per-Axel Sjöholm of Swedish Boxing Federation has been a part of founding the new organization.

”We consider that IBA has failed in their work to make sure that boxing can be a part of the Olympic Games, that’s why we are doing this,” Sjöholm told Swedish newspaper DN.

Read more: Swedish heavyweight pro boxer Pezhman Seifkhani is back for a rematch: “The hunger is there”

World Boxing might save the sport’s Olympic status

Boxing was established as an Olympic game in 688 BC, in Ancient Greece. However, today, the sports place at the Olympic Games is threatened due to a feud between the IBA and International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The IOC is set to manage boxing at Paris 2024, but the sport’s status for the Olympic games in Los Angeles 2028 is still a matter of debate.

Read more: Rising heavyweight talent Elwin ‘Bazooka’ Belezika: “Boxing makes me feel alive”

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