(Reuters) – Britain and the Czech Republic joined the United States and Ireland in boycotting amateur boxing world championships on Tuesday amid mounting concern about the Russian-led sport’s Olympic future.
World governing body IBA, run by Russian Umar Kremlev and backed by Russian energy firm Gazprom, allows boxers from Russia and Belarus to compete with national flags and anthems despite the war in Ukraine.
The IBA was stripped of involvement in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and boxing is not on the initial programme for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, pending reforms demanded by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
GB Boxing said in a statement it would not participate in the women’s championships in New Delhi from March 15-25 and was reviewing involvement in the men’s tournament in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in May.
Czech Boxing Association president Marek Simak told national radio that his country’s boxers would be shunning both championships.
The United States and Ireland announced their boycotts last week.
GB Boxing said its decision reflected “concerns about the future of boxing’s place on the Olympic programme and the recent move by IBA to allow boxers from Russia and Belarus to compete under their national flags, which contravenes resolutions passed by the IOC…
“This has put further distance between IBA and the Olympic movement in addition to the significant, longstanding issues over sporting integrity, governance, transparency and financial management which the IOC has asked IBA to address to protect boxing’s place on the Olympic programme.
“GB Boxing condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine and has solidarity with the people, boxers, coaches and officials of Ukraine.”
In December, the IOC raised the possibility of boxing being excluded from the 2024 Paris Games, accusing the IBA of having “no real interest” in the sport or its athletes.
Qualifying for Paris is being organised by the IOC.
The IBA has urged U.S. and Irish boxers to ignore the boycott and said it will fund those wanting to compete in the championships.
The IBA also warned that it would pursue “strong sanctions against those who initiate and join the participation boycott”.
Asked for a comment on the latest boycotts, an IBA spokeswoman said the governing body’s position remained unchanged.
The Boxing Federation of India could not immediately be reached for comment.
The world championships are the biggest events in amateur boxing outside the Olympics.
The United States finished third, behind Cuba and Kazakhstan, in the medals table at the last men’s tournament in Belgrade in 2021 with two golds and two silvers.
Ireland was second in the women’s medal table at the 2022 championships in Istanbul.
Britain was also second in the overall boxing medals table at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, with two golds, two silvers and two bronzes.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru/Alan Baldwin in London; Editing by Christian Radnedge and Pritha Sarkar)