World Boxing keen to step up quest for IOC recognition

World Boxing president Boris van der Vorst says his organisation is ready to step up its quest for recognition from the International Olympic Committee and save the sport's place on the programme for the Los Angeles Games in 2028.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport last week rejected an appeal by the International Boxing Association (IBA) against the withdrawal of its Olympic recognition due to a range of governance, finance and ethical concerns.

Welcoming the ruling, the IOC explicitly called on national boxing federations and national Olympic committees to work towards the establishment of a viable alternative body to assume control of the competition at the Games in four years' time.

Van der Vorst said he believes that World Boxing, which was established at the end of last year after the Dutchman was denied the opportunity to stand against incumbent IBA president Umar Kremlev, is now in a position to open dialogue with the IOC.

Van der Vorst said: "We are ready to start the conversations with the IOC to discuss the road map to becoming their official partner.

"World Boxing is the only way forward for Olympic-style boxing. Our objective is to keep the sport in the Olympics, and it is very important that the national federations are applying for (membership of) World Boxing in the coming weeks and months."

World Boxing currently boasts 28 members, including Great Britain, the US and Germany, and is confident of almost doubling that number by the end of the year. Technically, a world governing body requires upwards of 65 members in order to begin formal discussions with the IOC.

The IOC stripped the IBA of the right to stage Olympic contests after the controversial Rio 2016 Games.

The IOC established its own special boxing units