Lausanne, Switzerland (October 25, 2023) – The IBA welcomes two National Federations, Norfolk Island Boxing Association and SwissBoxing, which were granted provisional membership at the International Boxing Association until the next Ordinary Congress taking place on 9 December 2023 in Dubai, UAE. The IBA Board of Directors took the decision by a mail vote on 25 October 2023.
‘We warmly welcome new member Norfolk Island Boxing Association, as well as SwissBoxing, which return to IBA following the wise decision of its General Assembly. For us, it is a sign of trust and the right direction we chose as an organization. With the strong, independent, and stable IBA, together we can achieve more,’ IBA President Umar Kremlev said.
IBA Secretary General and CEO Chris Roberts OBE added, ‘We appreciate the trust from Norfolk Islands and Switzerland, who will receive the right to become full members at the upcoming IBA Congress in Dubai. This is a sign of our strength and commitment to delivering the best for our sport. The case of SwissBoxing is a perfect example of a decision taken at the time by the leadership that was not supported by the governing body’s members. How many more National Federations are split by variety of opinions and how many have struggled with unpopular decisions of their leaders?’
SwissBoxing announced its resignation on 1 June 2023, however, the General Assembly of the National Federation that took place on 19 August, reverted the decision and voted for coming back to the IBA. The same day, the General Assembly voted for a new leadership, as Amir Orfia was elected SwissBoxing’s President.
The Norfolk Island Boxing Association has never been a member of IBA previously.