Governance

Lars Brovil from the Danish Boxing Association elected President of European Boxing at its inaugural Congress in Prague

Lars Brovil from the Danish Boxing Association has been elected as President of European Boxing at its inaugural Congress in Prague, Czech Republic.

The new Confederation currently has 28 member National Federations and is affiliated to World Boxing, which is the Internatonal Federation (IF) for the sport recognised by the IOC. 

The inaugural Congress marked the beginning of a new era for boxing in Europe, aimed at strengthening and promoting the sport in the region.

The key business of the Congress included the ratification of the Statutes of the new organisation and the election of the President, Vice Presidents, Executive Board and Committee Chairs. The full list of appointments is:

President:

  • Lars Brovil, DEN

Vice Presidents:

  • Marketa Vochoska Handlova, CZE
  • Len Huard, NED
  • Almar Ogmundsson, ISL

Executive Board Members:

  • Nikolina Juric, CRO
  • Kirsi Korpaeus, FIN
  • Istvan Kovocs, HUN
  • Mouloud Bouziane, FRA

Sports and Competition Committee:

  • Martin Volke, GER

Medical and Anti-Doping Committee:

  •  David McDonagh, NOR

Referee and judging (R&J) Committee:

  • Enrico Apa, ITA

The Congress was attended by the President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst.  He said: “I would like to extend my congratulations to the newly elected President of European Boxing, Lars Brovil, Vice Presidents Marketa, Len Huard, and Almar Ogmundsson, as well as the Executive Board members and committee chairs. You are taking on a great responsibility and I am confident that under your leadership, boxing in the region will take a significant step forward. “I look forward to a great partnership with European Boxing as we work together to create a sustainable future for Olympic boxing. Thank you for your commitment and thanks also to Czech Boxing Association and its President, Marek Šimák, for their warm welcome and the excellent organization of the Congress in this beautiful city.”

WORLD BOXING WELCOMES DECISION OF IOC EXECUTIVE BOARD TO PROPOSE BOXING FOR INCLUSION AT LA28

World Boxing has welcomed the decision by the Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to propose the inclusion of boxing on the sports programme of the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 (LA28), to the 144th Session of the IOC that will take place in Costa Navarino, Greece, this week (19-21 March 2025).  

Provided the IOC Session votes to approve the EB’s proposal when it meets this week, boxing will be restored to the competition programme for LA28.

The President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, said: “This is a very significant and important decision for Olympic boxing and takes the sport one step closer to being restored to the Olympic programme. 

“I have no doubt it will be very positively received by everyone connected with boxing, at every level throughout the world, who understands the critical importance to the future of the sport of boxing continuing to remain a part of the Olympic Movement.

“On behalf of everyone at World Boxing I would like to thank the EB of the IOC for the trust they have placed in our organisation and we hope for a positive outcome when the IOC Session meets this week.

“World Boxing understands that being part of the Olympic Games is a privilege and not a right and I assure the IOC that if boxing is restored to the programme for LA28, that World Boxing is completely committed to being a trustworthy and reliable partner that will adhere to and uphold the values of the Olympic Charter.”

World Boxing was launched in April 2023 with a mission to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement.

It held its first formal meeting with the IOC in May 2024 and on 26 February 2025, it was granted provisional recognition by the IOC as the International Federation (IF) within the Olympic Movement governing the sport of boxing at world level.

USA’s Elise Seignolle Elected President at Inaugural Congress of World Boxing’s PanAmerican Confederation

Panama City, PANAMA (March 15, 2025) – Elise Seignolle from USA Boxing has been elected as President of World Boxing’s PanAmerican Boxing Confederation at its inaugural Congress in Panama City.

The Congress marked the beginning of a new era for Pan American boxing with the goal of strengthening and promoting the sport in the region.

The key business on the day included the ratification of the Statutes of the new organisation and the election of the President and Executive Committee. The positions of President and Audit and Finance Committee Chair were elected by acclamation. The full list of appointments is:

President:

  • Elise Seignolle, USA

Vice Presidents:

  • Ryan O’Shea, CAN, 1st Vice President.
  • Tomás Cianca, PAN, 2nd Vice President.

Executive Board Members:

  • Marcos Candido Britos, BRA
  • Kathy Harper, BRB
  • Stephen Jones, JAM
  • Dhany Reyes, HND

Audit and Finance Committee:

  • Amabelis Camaño, PAN, Chair and Treasurer of the Board

Medical and Anti-Doping Committee:

  • Dr. Bernardino Santi, BRA, as Chair

Sport and Competition Committee:

  • Hernán Salvo, ARG, as Chair

Following her election, President Elise Seignolle delivered an emotional speech, emphasizing the importance of unity and collaboration to achieve recognition for Pan American boxing on the global stage.

She said: “Today marks the beginning of a new era for our sport. Together, we will work to ensure that boxing remains a vital part of the Olympic family and to provide more opportunities for our athletes.

“Our diversity is our strength. We are a continent united by a common passion: boxing. And it is through this unity that we will demonstrate to the world that our sport deserves a prominent place on the Olympic stage.”

On the challenges facing the Confederation, she added: “This journey will not be easy, but I am confident that, together, we will overcome any obstacle. Our mission is clear: to guide and inspire the next generation of champions, ensuring their dreams come true on the world’s biggest stage.

“This is just the beginning of a journey that will transform the future of boxing in the Americas.”

Commenting on the inaugural Conferderation and the election of Elise Seignolle, the President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, said: “The inaugural Congress of the PanAmerican Boxing Confederation is a significant milestone for Olympic-style boxing in this important region.

“I would like to wholeheartedly congratulate President Elise Seignolle and all the other elected board members and committee chairs on their election. I look forward to a great partnership with the Pan American Confederation as we work together on our shared mission to create a sustainable future for Olympic boxing. Thank you for your commitment and thank you to the host Panama for organising an excellent Congress.”

Chair of World Boxing’s Olympic Commission, Gennadiy Golovkin, meets with Saudi Boxing Federation in Riyadh

The Chair of World Boxing’s Olympic Commission, Gennadiy Golovkin, and its Acting Secretary General Mike McAtee visited Riyadh last week to meet with representatives of Saudi Boxing Federation.

The meeting brought together key figures, including Saudi Boxing Federation President Abdullah Ahmed Eid Al-Harbi, Nasser Muneer, Director of the Secretary General Office and Hani Ismail, Chief Operating Officer of the Saudi Olympic & Paralympic Committee and NOC Kazakhstan Secretary General Alimzhan Akayev.

The meeting discussed World Boxing’s plans and upcoming activities following the recent decision by the IOC to grant it Olympic recognition. As part of this, the delegation highlighted World Boxing’s commitment to transparency and fair play, with ongoing efforts to improve officiating standards.

Gennadiy Golovkin said: “World Boxing remains focused on its core priorities. Strengthening cooperation with key partners plays an important role in this work, and today’s meeting confirmed that our goals and values are widely shared. As Chair of the World Boxing Olympic Commission, I remain fully committed to our main objective — keeping boxing on the Olympic programme.”

ITA to deliver ‘Clean Sport Education Webinar’ for World Boxing members on 24 March 2025

All World Boxing members – including athletes, coaches, medical personnel, athlete support staff, administrators and parent/guardians – are invited to attend a ‘Clean Sport Education Webinar’ delivered by The International Testing Agency (ITA) at 14:00–15:00 CET on Monday 24 March 2025.

The session will cover key anti-doping principles, practical scenarios, and include a live Q&A with a panellist from the ITA Education Team.

It is designed to inform participants of the key information and actions required to compete clean. The Q&A session will take place at the end of the session, with the entire webinar being delivered in English.

For further information and to register for the webinar, visit: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pXPlMbACRu-EH_bOwB-gvA#/registration

The session is being delivered by the ITA as part of its agreement to deliver all of World Boxing’s anti-doping services and clean sport activities.

It is open to all World Boxing member athletes and coaches. Individuals in roles such as administrator, medical personnel, athlete support or parent/guardian from member federations can also attend.

World Boxing secures provisional membership of the Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF)

World Boxing has secured provisional membership of the Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF).

It follows the recent decision by the IOC (26 February 2025) to grant provisional Olympic recognition to World Boxing and marks an important milestone in the International Federation’s growing role within the Olympic Movement.

The ARISF Executive Board unanimously approved World Boxing’s provisional membership on 10 March 2025.  Final ratification will be decided by the ARISF General Assembly later this year, in accordance with ARISF Statutes.

ARISF President, Dr Raffaele Chiulli, welcomed World Boxing’s inclusion. He said: “World Boxing has demonstrated a strong commitment to integrity, good governance, and the fundamental values of sport. ARISF is delighted to welcome them as a provisional member, and we look forward to supporting their continued growth and contribution to the Olympic Movement.”

The President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, added: “Joining ARISF is a significant moment for World Boxing as we continue to strengthen our position within the Olympic Movement. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of governance and integrity, ensuring the best possible environment to thrive for the future generation of athletes and future champions.”

Since its official launch in April 2023, World Boxing has made significant progress and now has 84-member National Federations across all five continents that participate in boxing.

The rapid growth in membership was cited by the IOC in its decision to grant provisional recognition to World Boxing.  Other factors it identified include:

  • Representation among countries that compete in Olympic boxing and the fact that 62 per cent of the boxers and 58 per cent of the boxing medallists from Paris 2024 are affiliated to National Federations that are members of World Boxing
  • Usage and application of the sports integrity processes, including independent oversight, implemented during the 2024 Olympic Games by the Paris Boxing Unit
  • Membership of AIMS, as approved by the SportAccord Executive Committee and the AIMS General Assembly
  • Significant progress in governance and transparency, which included:
    • Putting in place the structures and documentation for good governance (including the World Boxing Code of Ethics, Conflict of Interest Policy and declaration form, Anti-Corruption Policy, and Finance and Audit Committee Terms of Reference), and demonstrating strong willingness and effort in enhancing and implementing good governance that is compliant with the appropriate standards
    • Providing assurance on the financial stability of the organisation and its revenue generating processes
    • Recognition of the jurisdiction of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)   
    • A successful application for World Anti-Doping Code Signatory Status, which has been accepted by WADA, and agreeing a contract with the International Testing Agency (ITA) for it to provide all of World Boxing’s anti-doping services and clean sport activities

World Boxing visits Nigeria and Malawi to help drive the development of the sport in Africa

As part of its commitment to developing and growing the sport of boxing in Africa, the President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, recently visited Nigeria where he met with leaders of the Nigerian Boxing Federation and visited boxing clubs and projects in the capital city of Lagos.

Nigeria was the first African nation to join World Boxing and is one of six National Federations from the Continent – along with Algeria, Egypt, Gambia, Madagascar and Malawi – that are members of World Boxing.

As part of his visit, the President outlined World Boxing’s plans for developing boxing in Africa at every level, from the grassroots to the elite, and identified areas of potential collaboration where it can work with National Federations on future funding initiatives to aid the growth of the sport.

He also outlined the critical importance of African nations continuing to be part of the Olympic Movement and how this may impact on their ability to participate at other important future events, such as the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal and the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Scotland – both of which are vital to development of boxing in Africa.

The President’s trip to Nigeria coincided with a visit to Malawi by a delegation of World Boxing representatives who delivered a presentation to the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) Zone VI and the Malawi National Olympic Committee on World Boxing’s hopes and plans to grow its representation in Africa.

Both trips were very positively received by their hosts and the President’s visit to Nigeria was covered extensively by local press and broadcast media. 

Examples of this can be viewed online at:

https://www.sports247.ng/world-boxing-federation-president-boris-van-der-vorst-tasks-nigerian-sports-officials-on-hosting-international-events/

https://aljazirahnews.com/world-boxing-president-boris-van-der-vorst-set-to-visit-nigeria/

https://dailytrust.com/world-boxing-president-boris-van-der-vorst-to-visit-nigeria/

WORLD BOXING RESPONDS TO THE DECISION BY THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE IOC TO GRANT PROVISIONAL OLYMPIC RECOGNITION

World Boxing has welcomed the decision by the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to grant it provisional recognition as the International Federation (IF) within the Olympic Movement governing the sport of boxing at world level.

Following the announcement today (26 February 2025), the President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, said: “This is a very significant day for everyone connected with the sport of boxing in the Olympic Movement. Keeping its place at the Olympic Games is absolutely critical to the future of our sport at every level, from the grassroots to the highest echelons of professional boxing, and this decision by the IOC takes us one step closer to our objective of seeing boxing restored to the Olympic programme.

“It has taken a huge team effort from a large number of people across the globe to get to this point and none of it would have been possible without the hard work and commitment of all of the National Federations, boxers, coaches, officials and boxing leaders that have worked together to make this possible. 

“Today’s decision by the IOC is an important milestone, however everyone connected with World Boxing understands that being part of the Olympic Movement is a privilege and a responsibility and not a right. There is still a lot of work to do, and everyone is as committed as ever to continuing to work together and doing everything within our power to deliver a better future for our sport and ensuring that boxing remains at heart of the Olympic Movement.”

The IOC’s decision was also welcomed by the former two-time unified world middleweight champion, Gennadiy Golovkin, who is the Chair of World Boxing’s Olympic Commission and the President of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan. World Boxing’s Olympic Commission was established in September 2024, to liaise with the IOC and support and assist the process of developing a pathway to ensuring that boxing is restored to the Games.

Speaking after today’s announcement by the IOC, Gennadiy Golovkin, who won a silver medal at the Athens Olympics in 2004, said: “Receiving provisional Olympic recognition from the IOC is an important achievement and demonstrates that our sport is on the right path. This decision brings us one step closer to our main goal – preserving boxing at the Olympic Games.

“I am pleased that through the continuous efforts of all the people who support World Boxing, we have managed to achieve this result. Establishing an international federation built on the principles of integrity and fairness is our shared mission for the future generation of athletes and future champions. There is still a lot to do to achieve all the goals set, so we will not stop here.”

The news was warmly received by a number of boxers that won Olympic medals in Paris and Tokyo.

Cindy Ngamba, who was the first refugee in history to win an Olympic medal, when she won Middleweight bronze at Paris 2024, added: “Having the opportunity to compete for the Refugee Team at Paris 2024 has transformed my career and my life and shows how important it is that boxers continue to have the opportunity to take part in the Olympic Games. 

“The thought of being able to compete at the Olympics was one of the things that kept me going in difficult times and inspired me to pursue a career in boxing.  It would be hugely damaging to the careers of male and female boxers across the world if this opportunity did not exist for them, so the decision by the IOC to provisionally recognise World Boxing is really good news for the sport as it keeps the Olympic dream alive.”

Richard Torrez Jr, who won a Super-heavyweight silver medal for the USA at Tokyo 2020 before turning professional with Top Rank, said: “It is impressive to see the continuous progress that World Boxing has made as an international federation in such a short time. Provisional recognition by the IOC is a very positive step and will enable the organisation to continue to provide a platform for boxers from across the globe to compete and hone their skills at the highest international levels. It is great to see this progress and I am confident that the organization is moving in the right direction.”

Tokyo 2020 gold medallist and current WBA, IBO and The Ring Welterweight World Champion, Lauren Price, who is also an Athlete Representative on the Executive Board of World Boxing commented: “It was always my dream to compete at the Olympic Games and nothing I achieve in my professional career will ever top the achievement of winning gold at Tokyo 2020.

“Competing and winning gold at the Olympics Games provided me with a platform that is enabling me to enjoy a successful career as a professional boxer. For up-and-coming boxers to be denied this opportunity would be damaging for their careers and the sport as a whole.

“World Boxing has consistently fought to ensure that boxers can continue to have the chance to compete on the highest stage in sport at the Olympic Games and it is very positive to hear that the IOC has decided to provisionally recognise World Boxing.

“Hopefully this will be the first step toward seeing boxing restored to the Olympic programme which will be a massive boost for the sport and the hopes and dreams of male and female boxers at all levels across the world.”