Governance

World Boxing has confirmed that its third annual Congress will be held on Friday 20 November 2026 in Panama.

Congress is the highest authority of World Boxing and is held annually to vote on key decisions, discuss important issues and promote good governance and financial transparency. It has the power to amend World Boxing’s Statutes; elect the President and Executive Board; and admit, suspend, expel and reinstate member National Federations.

123 National Federation members will have an opportunity to vote at Congress 2026, which will see elections for a number of positions on World Boxing’s Executive Board and votes on more than 40 applications to join the organisation. A full agenda for Congress 2026 will be shared in advance of the event.

Alongside the main Congress session, World Boxing will hold an Executive Boad meeting in Panama on Wednesday 18 November 2026 and the continental confederation for the region, the Panamerican Boxing Confederation, will hold its annual Congress on Thursday 19 November 2026.

Invitation packages and further information about Congress 2026 will be sent to member National Federations in May 2026.

The second annual World Boxing Congress was held on 23 November 2025 in Rome, Italy, when the two-time middleweight world champion and 2004 Olympic silver medallist, Gennadiy Golovkin was named as the new President of World Boxing.

World Boxing will be responsible for the management and delivery of the boxing competition at this year’s Mediterranean Games 2026, in Taranto, Italy, 21 August – 3 September 2026.

The boxing competition is scheduled to run from 22 – 27 August at the Palazzetto dello Sport in Taranto. It will be held under World Boxing Competition Rules and feature elite male and female boxers from across the Mediterranean region.

Founded in 1951, the Mediterranean Games is a multi-sport event contested by nations bordering the Mediterranean Sea. This will be the 20^th edition of Games and feature 24 Olympic sports and three non-Olympic sports.

While Taranto is the host city, fourteen other cities in the Apulia (Puglia) region will host events, including Lecce, Brindisi and Martina Franca.

The Mediterranean Games is one of several multi-sport events that will be held under World Boxing’s rules in 2026. These include the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, 23 July – 2 August 2026, the Asian Games in Japan (Aichi/Nagoya), 19 September – 4 October 2026, and the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, 31 October – 13 November 2026.

World Boxing’s full competition calendar for 2026 can be viewed HERE.

World Boxing will share updates ahead of and during the competition on its website and social media channels.

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/officialworldboxing/

X – https://x.com/RealWorldBoxing

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/OfficialWorldBoxing

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-boxing/

World Boxing has appointed Tom Dielen as its new Secretary General to lead and manage its day-to-day operations on the path to the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028 (LA28).

In this role he led the development and execution of a strategic plan that transformed the International Federation from a sport at risk of Olympic exclusion into a credible, well-respected, financially stable model of innovation which was recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Prior to this he held senior positions with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Fédération Internationale de Tir à l’Arc (FITA).

As part of his various roles in sport Dielen has also sat on numerous committees and boards within the Olympic Movement for a variety of organisations including the Association of Summer International Olympic Federations (ASOIF) the International World Games Association (IWGA) and the Association of Paralympic Sport Organisations (APSO).

The President of World Boxing, Gennadiy Golovkin, said: “Mr Dielen’s background in international sport aligns well with the responsibilities and expectations of our organisation. I am confident that this experience will strengthen our work and support its future development.”

Tom Dielen added: “I am really thrilled to start a new challenge in the Olympic Movement as Secretary General of World Boxing. From the first contact with Mr Golovkin, the President, there was a good feeling between the two of us and I thank him and the Board for this opportunity.

“I am looking forward getting to know the athletes of this truly universal sport. There are exciting moments ahead this year with events for young athletes in Thailand and of course Senegal. Then there will be the World Boxing Cup series events in Brazil, China and Uzbekistan for the athletes as they start their road to LA2028.

“In the coming months, I will start to expand the team to ensure a bright Olympic future for the sport. Let’s get in the ring and work on inspiring and engaging people to pursue a passion for boxing through integrity and excellence.”

Dielen has a Master of Engineering (Computer Science) from the Catholic University of Leuven and a Sport Management Degree from the Belgian Olympic Academy. He also holds a Sport Merit Award from the Catholic University of Leuven and is an Honorary Member of the Compagnie des Archers de Lausanne.

He competed in Field and 3D Archery at national level and is active in Tennis, Curling, Skiing and Cycling.

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 25 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.

The President of World Boxing, Gennadiy Golovkin, has identified the importance of creating education programmes for officials as a key priority in the future development of the sport following a productive meeting with the leadership of the Continental Confederation for Europe, European Boxing,

The meeting covered a wide range of issues and developments within the sport including the future direction of European Boxing, opportunities for collaboration, and key development areas including governance, competitions and the use of technology.

On competitions, the meeting reviewed European Boxing’s recent activities, which included the successful delivery of both the U17 and U23 European Championships, and looked forward to the inaugural European Boxing Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, 15-26 September 2026.

Other areas of discussion included the importance of training seminars for Technical Officials and referees and judges; developments in the use of technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in competitions; the commercial development of Olympic-style boxing and collaboration and closer alignment between World Boxing and European Boxing.

Following the meeting, the President of World Boxing, Gennadiy Golovkin, said: “I appreciate the strong engagement from European Boxing and the leadership shown by President Lars Brovil and his team. Europe has demonstrated that it can deliver high-quality events and high-level organisation — and that experience is critical as we build the next stage of World Boxing.

“At the same time, we know that credibility is built not only through competitions, but through people and standards. That is why education will be one of our key priorities: structured programmes for coaches, technical delegates, referees and judges, with clear pathways and consistent certification. Better education means better officiating, safer boxing, and greater trust from athletes and National Federations.”

Registration link: Webinar Registration – Zoom
Title: WB – Clean Sport Education Webinar for Coaches
Date: 5 February 2026
Time: 14:00 – 15:00 CET
Panellists: ITA Education Team

Clean Sport Education webinar hosted by the International Testing Agency (ITA), on behalf of World Boxing. Afsheen Panjalizadeh, WB Senior Competition Manager and Ervin Kade, Finland Boxing Federation and Member of World Boxing Coaches Commission, will be hosting alongside the ITA.

As trusted figures in an athlete’s life, coaches significantly influence their values and behaviours. Athletes depend on their entourage for reliable information and mentorship, making it important for you to understand the anti-doping rules and how to foster a culture of integrity in sport.

This webinar will outline the roles and responsibilities of coaches, offering practical tips for you to support your athletes, protect yourself and serve as a role model for clean sport. Join us as we work together to Keep Sport Real and bring your questions for the live Q&A!

This webinar will be delivered in English, with and automated translated captions available, and all attendees will receive a PDF of the webinar presentation, including links to the resources covered.

Registration link: Webinar Registration – Zoom
Title: Ask the Expert: Nutrition
Date: 29 January 2026
Time: 14:00 – 15:00 CET
Panellists: ITA Education Team

World Boxing members are invited to take part in an ITA ‘Ask the Expert’ Webinar on nutrition on 29 January 2026, featuring Professor Louise Burke, IOC Diploma Programme in Sports Nutrition and Australian Catholic University Director.

This session will provide an overview of the topic, along with practical insights and expert answers to your questions.

The two-time middleweight world champion and 2004 Olympic silver medallist, Gennadiy Golovkin, has been named the new President of World Boxing at its Congress 2025 in Rome.

The Kazakh was the only candidate for the role on the final ballot paper and was named President by acclamation at the Congress.

Other candidates had put themselves forward in October 2025 to contest the Presidential election, however Golovkin was the only person approved to stand by an independent Vetting Panel, which assessed the backgrounds of all the candidates.

The Vetting Panel is made-up of three independent, external experts and supported by the leading independent provider of sport-specific arbitration and mediation services, Sport Resolutions, and is designed to ensure World Boxing adheres to the highest standards of governance by providing independent, third party checking and oversight of Congress and the election process.

Golovkin will serve an initial three-year term and succeeds Dutchman, Boris van der Vorst, who did not seek re-election following the completion of his term.

Gennadiy Golovkin, said: “It is a privilege to be elected as the new President of World Boxing. But this is just the beginning. Starting today, athletes will be at the heart of every decision we make. On the road to LA28, we will restore trust in Olympic boxing to secure our place in Brisbane and beyond. Now it’s time to move forward as one united boxing family.”

The Presidential election was one of four votes at the Congress which included one position as Vice President and two seats on the World Boxing Executive Board.

In the election for Vice President, Ryan O’Shea from Canada secured a second term with 57 per cent of the vote in a two-person contest with Thailand’s Chaiwat Chotima.

The election for the Executive Board had six candidates and saw Michael Muller from Germany and Tatsuya Nakama from Japan emerge with the most votes.

The four winners of today’s elections will join the World Boxing Executive Board which is made-up of the President; three Vice Presidents; four Executive Board members; four Continental Confederation Presidents; two Athlete Representatives; the Chairs of the Committees for Sport and Competition, Medical and Anti-Doping, and Finance and Audit.

Congress 2025 was chaired by World Boxing Vice President, Dinah Glykidis.  In accordance, with World Boxing’s Statutes, 59 National Federations were eligible to take part in the voting which was conducted in-person and online and overseen by an independent, third-party organisation. Scrutineers were onsite to validate the veracity of the election processes and ensure candidates were treated in a fair and equitable manner.

World Boxing Vice President and Chair of Congress 2025, Dinah Glykidis, said: “Congress is the ultimate authority of World Boxing and to have so many of our members be able to participate in it today and express their views on the future direction of the organisation is very important, and a positive sign that World Boxing is continuing to deliver on its commitment to transparency and rigorous governance.

“Since it was launched in April 2023, World Boxing has achieved an enormous amount in a short space of time and I am confident that with our new President and the Executive Board that we now have in place, following today’s elections, that it will continue to go from strength to strength as we build towards the next Olympic Games at LA28.”

Other business concluded at the World Boxing Congress 2025 included:

• Acceptance of a series of amendments to the Statutes of World Boxing following provisional recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in February 2025
• Ratification by Congress of the membership applications of 49 National Federations to join World Boxing
• Acceptance of a series of proposals which included the incorporation of World Boxing’s Sex Eligibility Policy into the Competition Rules and associated operational documents
• Approval of the 2025 Accounts and the provisional budget for 2026
• The acceptance of Panama’s bid to host World Boxing’s next annual Congress in 2026

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 25 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.

Born in 1982, Gennadiy Golovkin is widely considered to be Kazakhstan’s greatest ever boxer.  He won a silver medal at the Athens Olympics in 2004 before entering the professional ranks where he won the middleweight world title twice in a career made-up of 42 wins, two losses and a draw.  He has been the President of Kazakhstan’s National Olympic Committee since 2024.

The people that make up the Executive Board of World Boxing are:

Office	Name
President	Gennadiy Golovkin (KAZ)
Vice President	Ryan O’Shea (CAN)
Vice President	Matt Holt (GBR)
Vice President	Dinah Glykidis (AUS)
Executive Board	Michael Muller (GER)
Executive Board	Victorico Vargas (PHI)
Executive Board	Tatsuya Nakama (JPN)
Athlete Representative (Chair)	Caitlin Parker (AUS)
Athlete Representative (Vice Chair)	Richard Torrez Jr (USA)
President, Asian Boxing	Pichai Chunhavajira (THA)
President, European Boxing	Lars Brovil (DEN)
President, Oceania Boxing	Beulah Daunakamakama (FJI)
President, Panamerican Boxing	Elise Seignolle (USA)
Chair Sport and Competition Committee	Hernan Salvo (ARG)
Chair Medical and Anti-Doping Committee	Dr Armando Sanchez (USA)
Chair Finance and Audit Committee	Julia Felton (AUS)