Breakaway world body launches to fight for Olympic future

LONDON :A group of federations including the United States and Britain announced a new boxing world body on Thursday in a breakaway move aimed at securing the troubled sport's Olympic future.

Leaders of Swiss-registered World Boxing told a news conference they would seek recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The founders include federations who have already announced boycotts of this year's men's and women's world championships organised by the Russian-led International Boxing Association (IBA), which was suspended by the IOC in 2019.

"I think we all know that it's time for a change," USA Boxing president Tyson Lee told reporters on a Zoom call. "Or at least it's time for another option - an option that prioritises the Olympic movement."

Boxing's place in the Olympics after next year's Paris Games remains uncertain, with the sport not on the initial programme for Los Angeles 2028, pending reforms demanded by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The IBA was suspended by the IOC over governance, finance, refereeing and ethical issues. The body was stripped of involvement in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the qualifiers for Paris 2024.

The interim executive board of World Boxing will be overseen by Simon Toulson, a Briton who previously led the International Canoe Federation and worked in the IOC's sports department and with national Olympic committees.

There are representatives from Germany, Britain, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, Sweden and the United States.

Boris van der Vorst, the president of the Dutch boxing federation who was prevented from taking part in the IBA presidential election in May last year, is also on the committee.

"World Boxing represents a coming together of people