UAE Boxing Federation to submit request to join World Boxing with sport set to win Olympic reprieve

IOC recommends that boxing remain part of programme for the 2028 LA Games

The boxing tournaments at the last two Games were organised by the IOC, which suspended the International Boxing Association in 2019 over governance issues and then withdrew recognition for it completely in 2023. Getty ImagesShow less

The UAE Boxing Federation has said it will submit a request to join World Boxing after receiving approval from the National Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Sports.

The decision comes after the International Olympic Committee's Executive Board recommended that boxing remains part of the programme for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, following an earlier decision on February 27 to recognise World Boxing as the sport’s international federation.

Hassan Al Hammadi, secretary-general of the UAE Boxing Federation, told the WAM news agency that they were among the first of the Arab and Asian federations to support the newly established international body.

"We have obtained official approvals, and the membership application will be submitted before the end of this week in preparation for joining World Boxing," Al Hammadi said.

“The Boxing Federation is always striving to enhance the presence of the UAE in various international sports organisations and to participate in global events, including the Olympic Games, in accordance with the required rankings and standards, to fulfill every athlete’s dream of representing their country with pride."

Gold medallist Imane Khelif poses on the podium. AFP

From the left: Silver medallist China's Yang Liu, gold medallist Algeria's Imane Khelif and bronze medallists Thailand's Janjaem Suwannapheng and Taiwan's Chen Nien. AFP

Gold medallist Imane Khelif poses on the podium during the medal ceremony. AFP

Algeria's Imane Khelif, left, fights China's Yang Liu. AP

Algeria's Imane Khelif, right, fights China's Yang Liu. AP

Algeria's Imane Khelif after beating China's Yang Liu. AFP

Algerian fans celebrate as they watch their compatriot Imane Khelif win the gold medal. EPA

Algerian fans celebrate as they watch their compatriot Imane Khelif win the gold medal. EPA

Algerian fans celebrate as they watch their compatriot Imane Khelif win the gold medal. EPA

Algerian fans celebrate as they watch their compatriot Imane Khelif win the gold medal. EPA

The creation of a new global body was the biggest hurdle to the sport's inclusion in the next Games.

The boxing tournaments at the last two Games were organised by the IOC, which suspended the International Boxing Association (IBA) in 2019 over governance issues and then withdrew recognition for it completely in 2023.

The IOC had indicated boxing would only be included in 2028 if a new partner federation was identified. The executive board’s decision will need to be ratified at the IOC Session, which runs from Tuesday to Thursday in Greece.

On Monday, outgoing IOC president Thomas Bach said at a press conference: “After the provisional recognition of World Boxing in February we were in the position to take this decision.

“I’m very confident the [IOC] Session will approve it, so that all boxers of the world then have certainty that they can participate in the Olympic Games in LA 2028 if their national federation is recognised by World Boxing.”

The IOC later clarified that federations would need to be members of World Boxing at the time of the qualification events, with IOC sports director Kit McConnell saying he anticipated there would now be an “acceleration” of national federations joining.

The World Boxing website currently lists 84 federations as members.

The IOC was at loggerheads with the IBA during last year's Olympics in Paris over the participation of two boxers, Algeria's Imane Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting.

The IBA had disqualified both fighters from the previous year’s World Championships for allegedly failing gender eligibility tests.

The criteria for women's boxing at Paris, overseen by the IOC, was on stated gender in passports, the same protocol that was used for the 2016 Rio Games. Both Khelif and Lin went on to win gold medals in Paris.

Algerian Olympic medallist Imane Khelif given rapturous welcome home

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Khelif is taking legal action over reports she has male XY chromosomes and insists she was born a woman and lives as a woman.

The World Boxing website states that its sex eligibility policy is under revision by the medical committee.

World Boxing president Boris van der Vorst described the IOC executive board’s decision as “very significant and important” and “takes the sport one step closer to being restored to the Olympic programme”.

He added: “I have no doubt it will be very positively received by everyone connected with boxing, at every level throughout the world, who understands the critical importance to the future of the sport of boxing continuing to remain a part of the Olympic Movement.

“World Boxing understands that being part of the Olympic Games is a privilege and not a right and I assure the IOC that if boxing is restored to the programme for LA28, that World Boxing is completely committed to being a trustworthy and reliable partner that will adhere to and uphold the values of the Olympic Charter.”