Boxing's Future Still In Doubt, IOC EB Okays Weightlifting, Modern Pentathlon For 2028 Olympic Games

IOC President Thomas Bach:  Boxing's inclusion in the sports programme in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 is still uncertain even as the Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has approved the inclusion of weightlifting and modern pentathlon.

These three sports were not among the 28 sports that the IOC had approved for LA 2028 in February this year. The recommendation will now be put up during the 141st IOC Session to be held in Mumbai from Monday (Oct 15).

The IOC EB on Friday discussed the situation of boxing as a sport in the Olympics as the International Boxing Association (IBA) has been derecognised and has decided that it is not feasible for it to organise the competitions like it did in Tokyo 2020 and will be doing in Paris 2024.

IOC President Thomas Bach said that as it does not have a recognised partner for boxing, the EB has decided to put on hold the inclusion of the sport in the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028.

"Following the IOC Session’s decision to withdraw the recognition of the IBA, the IOC has not recognised another governing body for Olympic boxing. Therefore, any decision regarding the inclusion of boxing on the LA28 sports programme is put on hold," said President Bach in a press conference after the two-day meeting of the Executive Board in Mumbai on Friday.

The EB has recommended the inclusion of weightlifting in Los Angeles 2028 after the International Weightlifting Federation agreed to delegate the anti-doping management to the International Testing Agency and its sanctioning to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) till the end of 2028.

"The IOC EB recommends its inclusion in the LA28 sports programme following the decision by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) to delegate its anti-doping management to the International Testing Agency (ITA) and its sanctioning to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) at least until the end of 2028," the IOC said in a statement released after Friday's press conference.

"The effectiveness of the anti-doping programmes for the Paris 2024 Olympic qualification and Olympic competition will continue to be closely monitored by the IOC, as will the implementation of the governance and cultural changes adopted by the IWF," it said.

The EB also recommended the inclusion of modern pentathlon on the LA28 sports programme, as the international federation for the sport has agreed to replace horse riding, which is part of the five disciplines that comprise this sport, with obstacle racing. Another reason for its inclusion in the LA 2028 programme was the optimisation work conducted by the International Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM) to reduce costs and complexity.

"Without the replacement of horse riding with obstacle racing, the sport would not have been included in the programme," the IOC statement noted.

Modern pentathlon competitions at LA 2028 will now include obstacle racing, fencing, pistol shooting, freestyle swimming and cross-country running.