Boxing: Olympics – CAS rejects International Boxing Association’s appeal after IOC withdrew recognition

(Reuters) – The International Boxing Association’s (IBA) appeal against a decision to withdraw recognition of it being the sport’s international federation was dismissed on Tuesday by global sport’s top court.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) in June decided to strip the IBA of recognition over its failure to complete reforms on governance, finance and ethical issues.

“The IOC Session took its decision based on the recommendation issued by the IOC Executive Board on 7 June 2023 following a long process, initiated shortly after the Olympic Games Rio 2016,” the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said in a statement.

“During (the process) the IOC requested the IBA to undertake various measures to address serious concerns related to its governance and financial stability.”

It added that the IBA had not complied with the conditions set down by the IOC.

“The IBA had not increased its financial transparency and sustainability including through diversification of revenues (nor) changed its process relating to referees and judges to ensure its integrity,” CAS said.

The sports court added that the IBA had not implemented all the measures proposed by the “Governance Reform Group” established by the IOC, including a change of culture.

“The Panel determined that these three elements justified the IOC Session’s decision to withdraw recognition of the IBA,” the statement added.

“(It also) emphasized that the IOC’s right to control the circumstances in and the conditions on which it confers recognition outweighed the IBA’s personality rights.”

Rival body World Boxing said last month it will seek recognition from Olympic organisers to replace the IBA and keep the troubled sport on the programme for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk; Editing by Christian Radnedge)