French boxing quits international body to keep its fighters at Olympics

France leaves IBA to secure Olympic boxing future, joining World Boxing amid IOC concerns over governance and ethics.

France became the latest country to quit the International Boxing Association (IBA), to “guarantee French boxing its place at the Olympic Games”, governing body FFBoxe said in a statement on Monday (November 4, 2024).

The IBA, the long-standing ruling body of traditionally amateur competitions, such as the Olympics, is involved in a brawl with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over financial, governance and ethical concerns.

The IOC took over running the boxing competition at this year’s Paris Olympics.

IOC president Thomas Bach warned that boxing’s national federations needed to find a new and “reliable” international partner for the IOC to be sure the sport features on the programme at the Los Angeles Games in 2028.

A decision is due early in 2025 on whether or not to keep the sport in the Games.

FFBoxe said it planned to join World Boxing.

World Boxing, which was founded in 2023 and boasts around 50 members, led by the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia and Brazil, is in discussions with the IOC to take over running the sport at the Games.