Boxing likely to be part of 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles

Boxing is expected to be included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics as World Boxing is emerging as a solid entity to capture the support of majority of the national boxing federations around the world.

So far, around 60 nations have joined World Boxing including Pakistan and that is a great sign for the sport which is hoping to retain its Olympic spot.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) will meet World Boxing in Lausanne in March to discuss the related issues and boxing’s Olympics fate.

IOC had instructed its National Olympic Committees (NOCs) last year telling them that they should not own those boxing federations in their respective countries which are affiliated with International Boxing Association (IBA). And this has left an impact as boxing federations around the world have been joining World Boxing, a body countering IBA.

The IOC had suspended IBA in 2019 over governance and finance issues and had also kept it out of handling boxing events at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics before stripping it of recognition in 2023.

The IOC chief Thomas Bach also last month stressed that the ball is in the court of boxing federations around the world. He said if they want to see boxing in the Los Angeles Olympics then they should be more proactive to form a body which could handle boxing event in the Olympics.

Despite boxing being contested almost at every Olympics since 1904 the IOC has not yet included the sport in the LA 2028 program.

“This is in the hands of the national boxing federations and whether they want their athletes to have an opportunity to win Olympic medals or not,” Bach said last month.

Launched in 2023 World Boxing is expected to get penetrated in the world’s boxing landscape and is more likely to get the affiliation of IOC which will enable boxing to become part of the LA 2028.

Pakistan Boxing Federation’s (PBF) newly-elected president Col Nasir Tung said World Boxing has the potential to capture overwhelming support of global boxing fraternity.

“Yes, this is growing rapidly and we have also joined it and will be working under its domain,” Nasir told Nukta.

“Around 65 nations have joined it and in March World Boxing will meet IOC in Lausanne and I hope boxing will be part of the Los Angeles Olympics,” Nasir said.

Goals as new PBF chief

Nasir Tung has set tough targets for himself after getting elevated to the PBF’s president post.

“We want medals in the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and want to see our boxers in the Olympics again,” Nasir said.

The now professional boxer Mohammad Waseem had last lifted medals for Pakistan in the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. The Falcon had clinched silver in the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and bronze also the same year in the Incheon Asian Games. Since then, Pakistan has been returning empty-handed from these events in boxing.

Pakistani boxers had last featured in the 2004 Athens Games.

“Qualifying for Olympics will need massive finances and we will plan for it. We also will meet the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) officials so that boxing could be backed properly in the years to come,” Nasir said.

Due to strained relations between PBF and state for the last few years boxing did not get its due state support which damaged the sport beyond repair.

However, after industrialist Arif Saeed captured the coveted post of Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) president the things may take a U-turn and relations between PBF and state can get improved.

Nasir said they have the sort of stuff who could make it to the Los Angeles Olympics.

“If we lost Zohaib Rasheed who defected his country it does not mean we have lost everything. Still, we have some fine boys in his weight and there are also some good stuff in other weights who have the ability to pull off fine performances in international circuit,” Nasir said.

“If state starts backing us and if we give proper exposure to our boxers in the next four years then I am hopeful we will be able to return to the Olympics fold. What we need at this stage is to plan solidly and be patient as you cannot pull results overnight,” Nasir said.

Nasir said that under World Boxing both men and women will compete in ten weight categories each.

Nasir said that the PBF is also going to hold National Boxing Championship (both men and women) at Karachi from February 10-16.

“In this event men will compete in ten weight categories while women will show their muscles in eight weight categories,” Nasir said.