The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has officially approved the inclusion of boxing in the sports program for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games (LA28), said Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, an IOC member.
The decision was made during the 144th IOC Session held in Costa Navarino, Greece, marking a significant step for the sport’s future on the Olympic stage.
Khunying Patama said that the IOC’s decision followed a recommendation from the Olympic Programme Commission and the provisional recognition of World Boxing as the sport’s governing body at the international level.
Previously, boxing was excluded from the initial LA28 program in February 2022 due to concerns surrounding the International Boxing Association (IBA). Following the IBA’s recognition withdrawal on June 22, 2023, boxing’s inclusion in LA28 remained uncertain. However, the IOC has now reinstated the sport under the governance of World Boxing, which currently comprises 88 national boxing federations across five continents.
Khunying Patama pointed to the Paris 2024 boxing competition, which is being overseen by the IOC’s Boxing Unit, as a precedent for safeguarding the integrity of Olympic boxing.
With this decision, boxing remains a key part of the Olympic Games, ensuring that athletes worldwide will have the opportunity to compete in LA28 under a recognise and structured framework.
