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World boxing body’s problems with IOC related to ‘a few’ Olympic officials — IBA chief

On June 7, the IOC Executive Board recommended at the organization's session to revoke the recognition of the International Boxing Association

MOSCOW, June 14. /TASS/. The problems that exist between the International Boxing Association (IBA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have nothing to do with the Olympic Movement in general, but with certain officials in the administration of the governing Olympic body, IBA President Umar Kremlev said.

On June 7, the IOC Executive Board recommended at the organization's session to revoke the recognition of the International Boxing Association. An extraordinary session on this issue is scheduled to be held in an online format on June 22. The IOC Executive Committee, however, favors keeping the sport of boxing as part of the Olympic program.

"It is important for us to remain calm and not succumb to panic or provocations," the IBA’s press office quoted Kremlev as saying in a statement.

"The IBA has no issues with the IOC or the Olympic Movement as a whole. Our challenges lie with a few individuals within the IOC leadership who prioritize personal interests and biases over the well-being of the sport," Kremlev added.

On February 28, 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued recommendations to international sports federations to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from taking part in international tournaments, citing Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine as the reason.

Following the IOC’s recommendations in late February 2022, the majority of global sports federations decided to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments.

At its session on January 25, 2023, the IOC Executive Board put forward a proposal to permit individual athletes from Russia and Belarus to take part in international sports tournaments, but only under certain conditions. Specifically, athletes from the two countries should not be "actively supporting" Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and must compete under a neutral status.