Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Lauren Price has warned of disaster if boxing fails to maintain its status as an Olympic sport. Boxing currently has no role in the 2028 Los Angeles Games unless a new governing body is appointed. Price backs World Boxing as last hope to save the sport.
Olympic champion Lauren Price has joined World Boxing in calling on national federations to save the sport from “disaster”.
As it stands, boxing will be removed from the Olympics after the 2024 Paris Games unless a replacement governing body is appointed by the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
The International Olympic Committee withdrew recognition from the international boxing federation, the IBA, citing incomplete reforms regarding governance, finances and ethical issues. This was the culmination of a series of scandals that have plagued the governing body since Rio 2016.
Last year, Russia’s IBA president Umar Kremlin accused him of using “violent and threatening language” against IOC staff.
Price backs World Boxing to save sport from Olympic ‘disaster’ https://t.co/quMzlvxbmC
— John Tornillo (@TornJ) April 5, 2024
An IOC-led special committee will oversee the boxing competition at the 2021 Tokyo Games and will also manage the competition in Paris. But they won’t do this at the third Olympics.
“Boxing is currently not included in the sports program of the LA28 Olympic Games. To improve this situation, the IOC should establish an international partner federation for boxing by early 2025,” the IOC said. said in a statement.
“Due to boxing’s universality and high degree of social inclusion, the IOC wants boxing to remain in the program of the Olympic Games.”
“Unfortunately, this is by no means certain when it comes to the 2028 LA Olympic Games, as the IOC is unable to stage another Olympic boxing tournament for governance reasons.” “For boxing to continue on the Olympic program, like all Olympic sports, the IOC needs a recognized and trusted international association as a partner.”
“The NOCs (National Olympic Committees) and national boxing federations therefore hold the future of Olympic boxing in their own hands, and the necessary steps could not be clearer.”
A new boxing organization has been established in World Boxing that specifically seeks recognition from the IOC.
Current Olympic middleweight gold medalist Lauren Price supports world boxing. She calls for other national associations to continue joining the new organization to save Olympic sports.
“Many other countries are also participating in this. “I think after Paris there will probably be more people involved,” Price told Sky Sports.
“It’s looking pretty promising. I think everyone knew things weren’t very good for this organization (IBA) because of what happened in Rio and elsewhere. World Boxing, they’re doing a great job. Well, that’s what they say about tournaments. We recently held an event in Sheffield and it went really well. That’s promising. ”
Mr Price added: “I believe boxing will never get out of the Olympics. It would be a disaster and the hopes and dreams of young people will be crushed. “The Olympics are the pinnacle of sport and from there I believe that the best boxers are made. Look at guys like (Floyd) Mayweather, they went through that process too.” Preserving boxing is very important.
“You can’t go higher than the Olympics. So if someone asked me if I could go to the World Cup with the IBA or go to the Olympics, I would know which I would choose.”
Earlier this week, the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld the IOC’s decision to withdraw recognition from the IBA. Although the IBA maintained that significant progress had been made in the areas identified by CAS, the organization said it would “refrain from further comment until the CAS ruling has been thoroughly analyzed by legal experts.” Analysis is currently being conducted to draw the following conclusions: …” The organization appealed to the Swiss Federal Court.
“The last hope left”
World Boxing has reiterated its desire to close the gap to Olympic competition.
“There is no alternative,” the company said in a statement.
“The CAS decision and the IOC’s comments send a clear and unequivocal message to all national federations: If you want your country’s boxers to have the life-changing opportunity to continue competing in future Olympic Games, , now and must be supported.” Joining World Boxing is the sport’s last hope of retaining Olympic status beyond the 2024 Paris Games.
“National federations and NOCs who continue to think that their boxers can qualify for the Olympics elsewhere without participating in World Boxing are making a grave mistake that will ruin the sport and cause great harm to their boxers. There is.” “If boxing were to lose its Olympic status, it would be devastating for boxers at all levels around the world. The Olympics provide inspiration and an unparalleled platform for the sport. Without the Olympics “Boxing and boxing will suffer.” Fewer people will enter the grassroots sport and there will be fewer opportunities for elite boxers. This is detrimental to the sport at every level and should not happen. “This is an emergency and time is running out. The heads of the national boxing associations now have very important decisions to make and we would like to remind everyone who cares about the future of boxing and the sport that World Boxing We urge you to apply to join us and support our efforts. Get to the heart of the Olympic movement before it’s too late.”
