The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has upheld the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) decision to remove the International Boxing Association (IBA) from the Olympic family. This decision comes after a lengthy dispute between the two organizations regarding governance, finances, and the integrity of boxing competitions.
IBA Fails to Meet Reform Requirements
The CAS ruling, announced on Tuesday, stated that the IBA had not satisfied the IOC’s conditions for regaining recognition. These conditions included:
- Increased financial transparency and diversification of revenue sources, moving away from dependence on Russian state energy firm Gazprom.
- Implementing reforms to ensure the integrity of referees and judges, including a monitoring period for IBA competitions before the Paris Olympics.
- Enacting governance reform measures to promote a culture change within the organization.
The CAS panel determined that the IBA’s failure to address these concerns justified the IOC’s decision to remove recognition.
IBA’s Future Uncertain
The IBA has not yet commented on the CAS ruling. Their options for recourse are limited, with the only potential appeal route being the Swiss Supreme Court.
Boxing remains in Olympic, but under IOC control
Despite the IBA’s removal, boxing will remain an Olympic sport at the Paris 2024 Games. However, the IOC will oversee the qualification process and medal tournaments, as it did for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
This decision by CAS reinforces the IOC’s authority over Olympic sports and highlights its commitment to ensuring good governance, financial transparency, and fair competition within recognized federations. The future of the IBA remains uncertain, and it faces significant reforms if it wishes to regain recognition from the International Olympic Committee.
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