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≡ INTEL REPORT ≡
“World Boxing has approved applications from the National Federations (NFs) for boxing in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Guatemala and Laos to take its membership to 55 countries.”
Monday’s announcement followed the close of the second World Boxing Congress, held in Pueblo, Colorado in conjunction with the first World Boxing U-19 Championships for men and women that also finished over the weekend.
The addition of Uzbekistan is especially noteworthy, as the country co-led the Paris Olympic boxing medal table with five, all gold (China also had five: 3-2-0).
The addition of Kazakhstan had been expected, since the head of the Kazakhstan National Olympic Committee, Gennadiy “Triple G” Golovkin, is the head of the World Boxing Olympic Commission and has been lobbying national federations to join World Boxing.
With the International Boxing Association having been expelled by the International Olympic Committee in June 2023, World Boxing – which held its founding Congress last November – has been scrambling to create a workable governing body to become recognized by the IOC as the international federation for boxing.
The IOC has said that a new governing body needs to be in place early in 2025, in order for boxing to be confirmed on the program of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Said World Boxing President Boris van der Vorst (NED):
“On the date of our second Congress, it is fantastic that World Boxing is able to welcome four new countries whom I am sure will all play an important role in our mission to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement.
“Only last week we announced seven new members to take World Boxing past the milestone of 50 countries. To be able to announce four more members – including two major powers in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan – so soon after this, is a sign of the growing momentum shift in international boxing.
“It is clear that there has been a change in impetus and that more National Federations want to join World Boxing as they recognise it is the only way to keep the Olympic dreams of their boxers alive.”
Another turning point could come on 23 November, as the 42-member Asian Boxing Confederation will meet in Thailand for an Extraordinary Congress to consider a motion for the ASBC “to be an independent organization until any new international organizations is recognized by the International Olympic Committee.”
Thus far, World Boxing has 13 members in Asia.
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