Boxers to make own decision about going to World Champs

Boxing New Zealand would prefer athletes don’t attend next month’s Women’s World Championships in India, but will leave it up to the individuals to decide.

Women boxers
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

More than a dozen nations have decided to boycott the event amid mounting concerns about the Russian-led sport’s Olympic future.

President Steve Hartley says “the position of Boxing New Zealand is that we would prefer that our athletes do not attend the IBA Women’s World Championships.

“This as a mark of solidarity with people from the Ukraine in respect to the illegal invasion of a sovereign country by Russia and as a protest against the corruption prevalent in the IBA.

“However boxing NZ feels ultimately, the decision should lie with the team of Women boxers who are attempting to fulfil criteria set by the NZOC.

“Boxing NZ has provided comprehensive information to our team regarding possible scenarios and in respect to this, we have asked the team to make a decision regarding attending or not and reply to Boxing NZ on Friday.”

The women intending to travel to India had fund-raised the costs themselves.

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.

Boxing New Zealand is a member of The Common Cause Alliance which is campaigning to keep boxing in the Olympics.

They have regularly voiced his concerns about the Olympic future of the sport under the current regime.

The Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands later this year will be the main Olympic qualifying tournament for New Zealand boxers.

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.

The Men’s World Championship will be in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in May.

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”.

-RNZ

Boxing gloves
Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz