(Reuters) – USA Boxing’s withdrawal from IBA to join a breakaway world body will hurt its members as well as depriving others of opportunities, the Russian-led association said on Thursday.
USA Boxing, representing the most successful country in the sport’s Olympic history, announced on Wednesday it had left the International Boxing Association (IBA) with immediate effect and was set to join the breakaway World Boxing.
Mike McAtee, chief executive of USA Boxing, wrote in a letter to members that the board had approved unanimously a resolution to terminate membership.
IBA said in a statement that all U.S. boxers, officials and coaches were now automatically barred from involvement in any IBA competitions.
“Not only did the USA Boxing’s decision hurt all their affiliates who will now not be able to take part in IBA’s or affiliated member competitions, but it also deprives the boxing community as a whole from competing together and increasing the level of the talent within the boxing family,” it said.
“The IBA remains committed to protecting the organization and its member national federations from any harm caused by individuals or entities within or outside of the IBA boxing family.”
McAtee accused the IBA of failing to uphold the principles of its constitution and to respect the Olympic charter and movement.
“USA Boxing is committed to work tirelessly with World Boxing, like-minded national federations and worldwide Olympic-style boxing community to earn the privilege to be part of the Olympic Movement now and in the years to come,” he added.
Swiss-registered World Boxing was set up this month by countries, including the United States and Britain, concerned about the troubled sport’s Olympic future.
The IBA, led by Russian Umar Kremlev and suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2019, has denounced World Boxing as a “rogue” organisation.
Formerly AIBA, it filed an official complaint to the Boxing Independent Integrity Unit on Wednesday against the individuals and entities involved in the breakaway.
Boxing’s place in the Olympics after next year’s Paris Games remains uncertain, with the sport not on the initial programme for Los Angeles 2028, pending reforms demanded by the IOC.
USA Boxing is certified by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee as the national governing body for Olympic-Style boxing in the United States.
The U.S. has won 117 Olympic boxing medals, including 50 golds, since 1904 but boycotted recent IBA women’s world championships in New Delhi.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Ken Ferris and Christian Radnedge)
