Lausanne, Switzerland (May 22, 2023) – Four National Federations were suspended following violations and charges based on the IBA Constitution and Membership Policy due to their participation in a rogue boxing organization as decided by the IBA Board of Directors.
The four consisting of the New Zealand Boxing Association, German Boxing Association, Swedish Boxing Federation, and the Dutch Boxing Federation were guilty in breaching the rules and regulations and were suspended as IBA members. All of them were given the right to be heard but none refused categorically their participation in the rogue governing body nor distancing themselves from the organization.
With that said, they received the official conditions to be fully reinstated should they fulfil them. The conditions read as the following:
- The National Federation must demonstrate to IBA that it no longer has any affiliated officials participating in another international boxing federation;
- The National Federation is required to provide a written statement to IBA, confirming that it has ceased its participation in any other international boxing federation and commits not to participate in such federations in the future;
- The National Federation must publish a statement on its official website explicitly condemning any attempts to establish an alternative international boxing federation.
Moreover, the Czech Boxing Association was suspended following the organization of the international tournament “Grand Prix” where it allowed non-eligible boxers from USA Boxing to participate. As of 26 April 2023, USA Boxing revoked their membership in IBA, hence, deprived their athletes, coaches, and officials to take part in any IBA and affiliated member events.
The Czech Boxing Association was given the right to be heard, however, did not provide the IBA with any sign of efforts to resolve the damages, hence, was suspended. Under the below listed conditions, the organization can be fully reinstated:
- Czech Boxing Association extends its official apologies to IBA and undertakes to respect the IBA Constitution and the Regulations in the future;
- Czech Boxing Association guarantees that only eligible boxers from member National Federations will participate in its events going forward;
- It is confirmed that there will not be other serious violations of the IBA Constitution and Regulations by Czech Boxing Association within the next 6 months.
The Liberia Boxing Association, Federation of Boxing of Equatorial Guinea, Iceland Boxing Federation, and the Irish Athletic Boxing Association failed to provide annual reports as per the IBA Membership Policy. The two latter provided the documents following being notified of the commencement of the proceedings and charges against them. The IBA Board of Directors suspended the Liberia Boxing Association and the Federation of Boxing of Equatorial Guinea with the following conditions to be fully reinstated:
- Providing of annual report to the IBA Head Office by the National Federation concerned;
- Demonstration of normal activity by the National Federation concerned.
In addition, the IBA established Rules of participation in the Competitions of the Boxers and Officials affiliated to the suspended National Federations. It was decided that the athletes of the suspended NFs will still take part in IBA owned and sanctioned competitions, however, must be registered through the IBA Sport Department directly.
The Board of Directors undertook measures it deemed fit in order to ensure that Boxers and Coaches affiliated to any suspended National Federation were not deprived of their right to take part in Competitions under their national flag and anthem but without any symbols of the suspended National Federation.
You can find the Rules of participation in the Competitions of the Boxers and Officials affiliated to the suspended National Federations at the following link.