Great Britain and USA to boycott Boxing World Championships in India

26 February 2023

Some nations have threatened to boycott the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships after the IBA decided to allow boxers from Russia and Belarus to compete under their flags. Great Britain's boxing organisation is the most recent to issue a statement regarding its intention to abstain from the upcoming Women's World Championships in New Delhi, India.

"The decision reflects on-going concerns about the future of boxing's place on the Olympic program 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 in February and December 2022.” A statement from Great Britain Boxing noted.

After previous announcements to boycott the next boxing championships, the USA Boxing Association and the Irish Boxing Association made this one.

"GB Boxing condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine and has solidarity with the people, boxers, coaches and officials of Ukraine.GB Boxing's participation at the IBA Men's World Boxing Championships in May 2023 is under review and the board will make a decision on this closer to the event," the statement added.

Reacting to the new, IBA released their own statement.

"IBA will strongly react on further similar conduct in breach of the IBA Disciplinary and Ethics Code, and will pursue strong sanctions against those who initiate and join the participation boycott. At this moment there is not any decision of the IBA Congress not to invite the Boxers from Russia or to invite them in neutral status, and the decision of the Board of Directors of 4 March 2022 in respect of the Russian and Belarus Boxers was cancelled on 5 October 2022,” the statement said.

What are your thoughts on the development? Let us know in the comments below.

???? | NEWS: Statement from GB Boxing on the forthcoming 2023 IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships

For the full statement, click here! ??https://t.co/jsLyKwA0oR pic.twitter.com/TIoymDMVT9

— GB Boxing (@gbboxing) February 14, 2023