Boxing is nearing a chance to be officially placed as a sport in the LA 2028 Olympic roster after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) executive board recommended it on Monday.
The sport is stripped away from the Olympic roster after being plagued with several corruptions, scandals, and lack of financial transparency.
This development comes after the World Boxing was granted provisional recognition by IOC as boxing’s governing body.
“After the provisional recognition of World Boxing in February we were in the position to take this decision so that this recommendation has to go to the session,” IOC President Thomas Bach told a press conference.
“I am very confident that the session will approve it so that all the boxers of the world then have certainty that they can participate in the Olympic Games LA 2028 if their national federation is recognised by World Boxing.”
The president of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, said: “This is a very significant and important decision for Olympic boxing and takes the sport one step closer to being restored to the Olympic programme.
“I have no doubt it will be very positively received by everyone connected with boxing, at every level throughout the world, who understands the critical importance to the future of the sport of boxing continuing to remain a part of the Olympic movement.
“On behalf of everyone at World Boxing I would like to thank the EB of the IOC for the trust they have placed in our organisation and we hope for a positive outcome when the IOC Session meets this week.
“World Boxing understands that being part of the Olympic Games is a privilege and not a right and I assure the IOC that if boxing is restored to the programme for LA28, that World Boxing is completely committed to being a trustworthy and reliable partner that will adhere to and uphold the values of the Olympic Charter.”
However, when the IOC session takes place this week, it will need to vote for the executive committee’s proposal.
IBA, led by Russia, was expelled from the Olympics due to its failure to reform. The IOC ran the boxing event in Tokyo and Paris.