IOC votes unanimously to include boxing in 2028 Olympic Games in LA

Costa Navarino (Greece): Boxing was on Thursday included in the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) member states unanimously voted for it during the governing body's 144th session here.

When IOC president Thomas Bach asked for a show of hands from all in favour of boxing's inclusion in the LA Games all the members duly obliged with no one abstaining or voting against.

"I thank you for the approval of having boxing back in the Olympic programme. We can look forward to a great boxing tournament," Bach said.

"It doesn't happen often that the proposal for programmes happen unanimously but this commission is breaking record after record." Boxing was not included on the LA 28 initial sports programme approved by the IOC Session in February 2022 because of the concerns that had gripped the then federation, the International Boxing Association (IBA).

The IOC had suspended the IBA following long-running disputes over governance, its finances and the integrity of bouts and judging.

The IOC's "special task force" had overseen the boxing competitions at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Games.

World Boxing was thus formed to ensure boxing remained an Olympic sport.

However, last year the IOC made it clear that National Boxing Federations had to reach a consensus around a new international federation in order for boxing to be included on the sports programme of the LA 28.

Bach also congratulated the new governing body, which the IOC had recognised last month.

"I would like to congratulate World Boxing- the new federation." The new boxing body now has a membership of more than 80 national federations.