The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board has proposed the inclusion of boxing in the sports programme for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games (LA28). The proposal will be presented to the 144th IOC Session, which is set to take place this week in Costa Navarino, Greece.
A NEW PATHWAY FOR BOXING IN THE OLYMPICS
Boxing was initially excluded from the LA28 sports programme, approved in February 2022, due to concerns surrounding the governance of the then-International Federation, the International Boxing Association (IBA). Following the withdrawal of the IBA’s recognition on 22 June 2023, the inclusion of boxing in LA28 remained uncertain.
To ensure fair competition and protect athlete participation, the Paris 2024 boxing competition and its qualifying tournaments were managed by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit, an ad hoc task force created by the IOC EB. This approach provided a transparent and just pathway for boxers to qualify for the Games. At Paris 2024, 68 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) participated in the boxing competition, with 31 NOCs and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team winning medals across 13 events. This represented the highest ratio of competing NOCs to medal in a single sport at the Games.
PROVISIONAL RECOGNITION OF WORLD BOXING
The IOC EB’s decision to propose boxing for LA28 follows the recommendation of the Olympic Programme Commission and the provisional recognition of World Boxing as the sport’s governing body within the Olympic Movement. This recognition, granted in February 2025, marked a significant step forward for the sport.
World Boxing, currently composed of 84 National Federations across five continents, was established as a new governing body after the IOC called for National Boxing Federations to reach a consensus on a new International Federation. The IOC’s assessment of governance and sports integrity criteria led to the provisional recognition of World Boxing, paving the way for boxing’s potential inclusion in LA28.
The final decision on boxing’s inclusion will be made during the 144th IOC Session, marking a critical moment for the sport’s future in the Olympic Games.
