Women’s World Boxing Championships: GB Boxing will not compete over Russia concerns

Britain has decided not to take part in the women’s world boxing championships next month amid concerns over Russia’s participation.

The International Boxing Association (IBA) lets Russian and Belarusian boxers compete in New Delhi under their countries’ flags.

It goes against International Olympic Committee (IOC) guidelines to ban athletes from the two nations following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The championships run from March 15th to 25th.

“Boxers from the GB Boxing Squad will not compete in the upcoming IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi,” GB Boxing said.

“The decision reflects ongoing concerns about the future of boxing in the Olympic program and the IBA’s recent move to allow boxers from Russia and Belarus to compete under their national flags, in violation of resolutions passed by the IOC in February and December 2022.

“This has further widened the distance between the IBA and the Olympic movement in addition to the significant, long-standing issues of sporting integrity, governance, transparency and financial management that the IOC has sought from the IBA to further enhance boxing’s place in the Olympic.” protect program.

“GB Boxing condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine and expresses its solidarity with the people, boxers, coaches and officials of Ukraine.”

GB Boxing’s participation in the IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships in May is currently “under review”.

Their decision follows Ireland and the United States’ withdrawal from the men’s and women’s worlds last week.

The IBA has been suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since 2019 over governance issues and alleged corruption.

Boxing at the Tokyo Olympics was organized by the IOC and will also take place for Paris 2024, but in addition the sport has been dropped from the original Los Angeles 2028 program as the IBA has refused to implement the changes requested by the IOC.

GB Boxing will send a team to the European Games in Poland, where most of the seats for the Paris Olympics, taking place from June 21st to July 2nd, will be won.

Following the US decision to boycott the IBA, Russian President Umar Kremlev criticized national governing bodies and said his organization will help boxers from those countries who want to compete.

“This decision is not up to the athletes themselves. None of the sports administrators or politicians in the world have the right to deny athletes their dream of becoming world champions,” he said.

“Boxers devote their entire lives to the sport, while administrators and politicians come and go. Those who do this to our athletes are worse than hyenas and jackals – they violate the integrity of sport and culture.”

It comes after a summit was held last week to discuss the possible participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the Paris 2024 Olympics.

In January, the IOC said it was exploring “a way” to allow athletes from both nations to compete as neutrals at next year’s Games, a move that drew heavy criticism.

British Culture Minister Lucy Frazer chaired the 36-nation summit on Friday, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered an opening speech.

A joint statement should be agreed in the coming days.

It was reported on Tuesday that Russian gymnasts and wrestlers have been invited to compete in this year’s Asian Games, an opportunity for them to qualify for the Paris Olympics after being banned from European qualifying tournaments.

Reuters reported that Vasily Titov and Mikhail Mamiashvili, the respective heads of the Russian gymnastics and wrestling federations, told Russian TV that they had received invitations to the games, which will be held from September 23 to October 8 in Hangzhou, China. are to take place.