Britain, Czechs join growing world championships boycott

Britain and the Czech Republic joined the United States and Ireland in boycotting amateur boxing world championships on Tuesday amid mounting concern about the Russian-led sport's Olympic future.

World governing body IBA, run by Russian Umar Kremlev and backed by Russian energy firm Gazprom, allows boxers from Russia and Belarus to compete with national flags and anthems despite the war in Ukraine.

The IBA was stripped of involvement in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and boxing is not on the initial programme for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, pending reforms demanded by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

GB Boxing said in a statement it would not participate in the women's championships in New Delhi from March 15-25 and was reviewing involvement in the men's tournament in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in May.

Czech Boxing Association president Marek Simak told national radio that his country's boxers would be shunning both championships.

The United States and Ireland announced their boycotts last week.

GB Boxing said its decision reflected "concerns about the future of boxing's place on the Olympic programme and the recent move by IBA to allow boxers from Russia and Belarus to compete under their national flags, which contravenes resolutions passed by the IOC...

"This has put further distance between IBA and the Olympic movement in addition to the significant, longstanding issues over sporting integrity, governance, transparency and financial management which the IOC has asked IBA to address to protect boxing's place on the Olympic programme.

"GB Boxing condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine and has solidarity with the people, boxers, coaches and officials of Ukraine."

In December, the IOC raised the possibility of boxing being