International Boxing Association to appeal stripping of IOC recognition at CAS

The International Boxing Association (IBA) is set to challenge the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to revoke its recognition by filing an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), as confirmed by a source familiar with the matter, according to Reuters.Last week, the IOC's executive board recommended the withdrawal of recognition for the IBA due to its failure to implement necessary reforms. The final confirmation of this decision is expected to be made during an extraordinary IOC session scheduled for June 22, to be held remotely.Expressing their discontent with the IOC's decision, the IBA described it as a "truly abhorrent and purely political" move, underscoring their strong objection to the decision.One of the key recommendations put forward by the IOC executive board was that the IBA should not be entrusted with organising the boxing tournament at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.The IBA had previously faced suspension by the IOC in 2019 due to concerns over governance, finance, refereeing, and ethical matters. Consequently, the IBA was not involved in managing the boxing events at the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics. Although boxing remains on the program for the Paris 2024 Olympics, the IOC has taken charge of overseeing the qualification bouts and competition, sidelining the IBA.In response to the IOC's criticisms, the IBA, led by Russian businessman Kremlev since 2020, recently submitted a report blaming the Olympic body for its intransigence and dissemination of false statements. However, the IOC had consistently warned the IBA about their inadequate efforts to address the required reforms.The IBA's position was further complicated by the termination of a sponsorship deal with Russian energy giant Gazprom following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, adding to the organisation's challenges.As a result of the IBA's actions, a breakaway group called World Boxing emerged, attracting several countries away from the IBA. Notable members of this new organisation include the United States, Britain, New Zealand, Germany, Netherlands, and Sweden, who joined the Swiss-registered World Boxing in April.With the IBA now pursuing an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the future of the organisation and its relationship with the IOC remains uncertain. The boxing world awaits the outcome of this legal battle as both entities seek to assert their positions and define the future landscape of international boxing competitions.(With inputs from Reuters)