Boxing's Future Hangs In Balance After Asian body Votes In Favour Of IBA

Boxing's already uncertain Olympic future was thrown into further jeopardy after the sport's Asian governing body voted against leaving the suspended International Boxing Association (IBA) to join the rival association

Boxing's already uncertain Olympic future was thrown into further jeopardy after the sport's Asian governing body voted against leaving the suspended International Boxing Association (IBA) to join the rival association. The polling was held via a secret ballot on Saturday with 21 countries voted to continue with IBA, while 14 cast their ballot in favour of joining World Boxing (WB), a breakaway body which is aiming for recognition of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). There was one invalid vote.

Besides India, which participated as an observer, the other countries whose names figured on the roll call included, Bahrain, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Chinese Taipei, Timor Leste, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, and Lebanon.

Other members present were Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Yemen.

The IOC has time and again reiterated its threat to leave boxing out of the 2028 Olympics if national federations continue to align themselves with the suspended IBA.