Governance

Boris van der Vorst has been elected as the first President of World Boxing at its inaugural Congress in Frankfurt.

The Dutchman secured 63 per cent of the vote against Elise Seignolle from USA Boxing and will serve an initial two-year term.

In his inaugural Presidential speech following the election, Boris van der Vorst, said: “I am humbled and honoured to have been elected President of World Boxing and I would like to thank everyone that has supported me in recent weeks and over the last few years. My campaign was based on the principles integrity, honesty and trust and I will continue to promote these values within our growing boxing family.

“Making sure boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement is our number one priority and I look forward to working together with the newly elected board and all of our member National Federations to help us deliver this.”

The Presidential election was one of a series of votes at the Congress which covered a range of positions including three Vice Presidents (VP), four places on World Boxing’s Executive Board and the Chairs of the Sport and Competition Committee, the Medical and Anti-Doping Committee and the Finance and Audit Committee.

Three women and five men took part in the Vice Presidential elections which saw Canada’s Ryan O’Shea, Matt Holt from GB Boxing and the CEO of Boxing Australia, Dinah Glykidis emerge with the most votes to secure the three places.

The four candidates elected to the Executive Board were: Michael Muller from Germany, Victorico Vargas from the Philippines, Sweden’s Susanne Karrlander and Marcos Candido de Brito of Brazil.

In the election to chair World Boxing Committees, Hernan Salvo or Argentina secured the role as Chair of Sport and Competition Committee; Dr Armando Sanchez from the USA got the most to Chair the Medical and Anti-Doping Committee and Julia Felton from Australia will Chair the Finance and Audit Committee.

The 11 winners in today’s elections will form a 14-person Executive Board, along with the two Athlete Representatives, Lauren Price and Richard Torrez Jr, and the Secretary General, Simon Toulson.

The Vice Presidents and Executive Board members will serve terms of two or four years. The difference in the length of terms is designed to enhance democratic accountability and means that World Boxing will hold elections every two years.

The Congress was attended by 26 of World Boxing’s 27 member countries. Delegates had one or two votes in line with the policies set out in the World Boxing statutes.

The Secretary General of World Boxing, Simon Toulson, said: “The inaugural Congress is a very significant milestone in the development of World Boxing and to have so many members attend in person, is a sign of people’s commitment to the organisation and everything we are trying to achieve for the sport.

“Hosting open, fair and transparent elections is a central element of World Boxing’s commitment to operating to the highest standards of governance and today’s events today have shown that the organisation is delivering on this commitment and I look forward to working with the newly appointed Executive Board and to help create a better future for the sport.”

A full list of the people elected to office is below:

World Boxing was launched in April 2023 and aims to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement. It will seek recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and plans to work constructively and collaboratively to develop a pathway that will preserve boxing’s ongoing place on the Olympic competition programme at Los Angeles 2028 and beyond.

World Boxing, the new international federation established to keep boxing at the heart of the Olympic Movement, has agreed its first commercial partnership with Sting, one of the world’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of premium boxing kit and equipment.

The exclusive, four-year sponsorship deal means Sting will become World Boxing’s Official Competition Equipment Supplier and provide all the gloves, protective clothing, handwraps and training equipment used by boxers during tournaments including the World Boxing Cup series and the U19 and elite World Boxing Championships.

The agreement, which was formally signed at World Boxing’s inaugural Congress in Frankfurt (24-25 November 2023), will also see Sting provide expertise and advice on the development of competition equipment and contribite to the work of World Boxing’s Sport and Competition Committee. As part of this, both parties have also committed to explore the use of Artificial Intellgience (AI) in the development of intelligent kit for fitness.

World Boxing’s Secretary General, Simon Toulson, said: “Signing our first commerical partnership with one of the world’s top suppliers of premium boxing equipment is extremely positive for World Boxing. It shows that leading boxing brands like Sting share our values and principles and want to be associated with World Boxing as they believe in what we are trying to achieve for the sport and everyone connected with it.

“This will significantly enhance the quality and prestige of our competitions and is great news for all of the boxers using Sting equipment in World Boxing tournaments in the coming years, as they know they will be competing with top quality products and equipment.”

Amir Anis, Managing Director, Sting International, added: “It is great for Sting to be World Boxing’s first commercial partner and we are very excited to agree this four-year sponsorship deal that will ensure boxers competing at World Boxing events will have access to the safest and best equipment which will enable them to perform at their best and achieve their full potential.”

World Boxing was launched in April 2023 and aims to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement. It will seek recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and plans to work constructively and collaboratively to develop a pathway that will preserve boxing’s ongoing place on the Olympic competition programme at Los Angeles 2028 and beyond. It currently has 27 members representing all of the continents that compete in international boxing.

Sting is a supplier of premium boxing equipment for Olympic boxers, professionals and fitness participants. Products include gloves, protective equipment, coaching products, accessories and punch bags which use the best materials, the latest design techniques and the most skilled craftsmen to create items of unrivalled quality. Sting was the official kit supplier for boxing to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and has supply agreements with numerous leading National Federations including Australia, England, Germany, Scotland, USA and GB Boxing.

Twenty-seven candidates from 14 countries will contest the elections for office at World Boxing’s inaugural Congress in Frankfurt am Main on 24 and 25 November 2023.

In line with the processes set-out in World Boxing’s Statutes, Rules for Electoral Voting and Rules for Candidates of Elections (HERE), all of the candidates, which include seven women, have been assessed and cleared to stand by an independent Vetting Panel of three independent, external experts and supported by the leading independent provider of sport-specific arbitration and mediation services, Sport Resolutions.

As part of the World Boxing’s commitment to transparency and rigorous governance, key papers from the Congress including a full list of candidates and details of their relevant experience and expertise can be viewed HERE.

The 27 National Federations that have had their applications to become members of World Boxing approved are eligible to participate in the inaugural Congress which will host elections for the positions of President and Vice President (VP); places on World Boxing’s Executive Board; and the Chairs of the Committees for Sport and Competition, Medical and Anti-Doping, and Finance and Audit.

The elections will be held on Saturday 25 November 2023 and overseen by an experienced, independent, third-party organisation. Scrutineers will be onsite to validate the veracity of the election processes and ensure candidates are treated in a fair and equitable manner.

Full members will have two or three votes depending on their compliance with the voting rules detailed in World Boxing’s statutes HERE.  Associate members have been able to nominate candidates for the elections but are not eligible to vote.

The elections for all of the leading positions of office will be contested.  For the office of President, there are two candidates: Elise Seignolle, who has held a variety of senior positions within USA Boxing over the last six years, and the former President (2014 – 2023) of the Dutch Boxing Federation, Boris van der Vorst.

Nine candidates (three women and six men) are standing for the three VP positions.  Fifteen people (10 men and five women) will contest the four available places on World Boxing’s Executive Board.  A full list of all the candidates taking part in the World Boxing elections can be viewed HERE.

The Secretary General of World Boxing, Simon Toulson, said: “Holding open, fair and transparent elections is a central element of World Boxing’s commitment to operating to the highest standards of governance.  The call for candidates has received an excellent response from members and it is a very positive sign to see that all of the major office bearing positions within the organisation will be fairly contested by a diverse range of nominees.

“The candidates that have been cleared to stand by the independent Vetting Panel are of the highest calibre, both in terms of their experience and capabilities and also their commitment to upholding the principles of integrity, honesty and excellence on which World Boxing has been founded.

“I have no doubt that every candidate has the potential to make a very positive contribution to the future development of the organisation and can play an important role in helping us to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement.”

World Boxing was launched in April 2023.  It will seek recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and plans to work constructively and collaboratively to develop a pathway that will preserve boxing’s ongoing place on the Olympic competition programme at Los Angeles 2028 and beyond.

World Boxing, the new international federation established to keep boxing at the heart of the Olympic Movement, will hold its inaugural Congress at the Mainarcaden Venue in Frankfurt am Main, Germany on 24 and 25 November 2023.

The Congress will host World Boxing’s first ever elections when members will vote for a range of offices including President, Vice President (VP) and places on World Boxing’s Executive Board along with the Chairs of the Sport and Competition Committee, the Medical and Anti-Doping Committee and the Finance and Audit Committee.

Frankfurt am Main has been specifically chosen as the location for World Boxing’s first elections owing to its historical significance as the cradle of the German democratic movement and the place (Frankfurter Nationalversammlung) where the first freely elected parliament for all German states first sat in May 1848.

All of the National Federations that have joined World Boxing will be eligible to take part in the Congress and vote in the elections which have received more than 40 nominations, from 18 countries across four continents, for the Executive positions.

In line with the processes set-out in World Boxing’s Statutes, Rules for Electoral Voting and Rules for Candidates of Elections (HERE), the candidates are currently being assessed for eligibility by an independent Vetting Panel. The Vetting Panel is made-up of three independent, external experts that do not have any involvement or knowledge of World Boxing and is supported by the leading independent provider of sport-specific arbitration and mediation services, Sport Resolutions.

Once the vetting process has been completed a final list of eligible candidates will be published in October 2023, no later than 30 days before the elections take place.

World Boxing’s members will have two or three votes depending on their compliance with the voting rules detailed in World Boxing’s statutes (HERE).

The elections will be overseen by an experienced, independent, third-party organisation.  Scrutineers will be onsite to ensure the veracity of the election processes and that candidates are treated in a fair and equitable manner.

Simon Toulson, Secretary General, World Boxing, said: “Hosting its inaugural Congress and holding open, fair and transparent elections will be a significant milestone in the evolution of World Boxing and demonstrate that the organisation is delivering on its commitment to the principles of integrity, honesty and excellence.  

“We have a number of excellent candidates and the support we have received from high calibre National Federations to participate in the Congress is a clear indication of the desire for change and determination to deliver a better future that exists across international boxing.

“By holding its first elections in a city which is so historically linked to the principles of democratic process, we aim to send out a strong signal about the way that World Boxing will operate and the values that it stands for as an organisation.”

The Secretary General of the German Boxing Association, Michael Mueller, added: “Hosting this inaugural Congress in Germany is a sign of our federation’s commitment to supporting the goals of World Boxing and working closely with this new international federation and all of our fellow members to ensure the future of Olympic boxing for all our athletes.”

World Boxing was launched in April 2023 and aims to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement. It will seek recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and plans to work constructively and collaboratively to develop a pathway that will preserve boxing’s ongoing place on the Olympic competition programme at Los Angeles 2028 and beyond.

World Boxing, the new international federation established to ensure boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement, has added two new members to its Executive Board (EB), Dinah Glykidis, Chief Executive of Boxing Australia and Marketa Haindlova, who is the Founder and Principal of an International Law Firm specialising in sport.

The pair have extensive experience in a wide variety of sports executive roles and were unanimously appointed following a request by World Boxing to National Federations asking them to nominate individuals with the skills and expertise to make a positive contribution to the work of the EB.

Dinah Glykidis has been the CEO of Boxing Australia for three years and is responsible for the leadership and strategic direction of the organisation.   Under her leadership, the federation has made progress in a number of areas including improvements in the provision of medical services, the introduction of new committees, the establishment of partnerships to improve governance and regulation and the creation of new initiatives to enhance Boxing Australia’s pathways programme.

JUDr. Marketa Vochoska Haindlova LL.M. is an attorney and sports executive.  She is the founder and principal of an international law firm, Marketa Haindlova, specialising in sports law and has specific expertise in governance and dispute resolution.  In parallel to her legal practice, Marketa has extensive executive experience in governance and sports diplomacy and has previously served as Chair of the Board of Appeal and Review of the Football Association of the Czech Republic.  She co-founded the Czech Association of Football Players and is a member of the Expert Group of the National Council for Sport, a Board member of both the National Court of Arbitration for Sport in the Czech Republic and the FIFPRO Division Europe Executive Board.  Since July 2023, she has been a member of the UEFA Fair Play and Social Responsibility Committee.

The new additions mean World Boxing’s EB is made-up of 12 men and women from 9 countries across four continents.  It includes two Athlete Representatives: Tokyo 2020, middleweight gold medallist, Lauren Price from Wales, and the USA’s super-heavyweight silver medallist, Richard Torrez Jr. 

The 12 men and women will serve as members of the EB on an interim basis until the organisation’s inaugural Congress in November 2023 when they will have the opportunity to stand for election to the EB, which will be voted-on by the membership of World Boxing.

Dinah Glykidis, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Boxing Australia, said: “It is vitally important that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement and I am delighted to have the opportunity to play my part in making sure this happens.  World Boxing offers hope of a better future for everyone connected with the sport and I am looking forward to working with my colleagues to create an international federation that we can all be proud of that puts the interests of boxers at the heart of decision making.”

Marketa Haindlova commented: “Boxing is one of the world’s most traditional sports and has always been an integral and valued member of the world’s sport community. Many international sport organizations today face significant challenges and threats and I am very proud to be part of an organisation, in World Boxing, that is proactively addressing these while embracing the key values of fair play and transparent governance. World Boxing has been set-up to preserve the integrity of boxing and enable it to grow and I look forward to contributing to this process.”

World Boxing was launched in April 2023 and aims to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement.  It will seek recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and plans to work constructively and collaboratively to develop a pathway that will preserve boxing’s ongoing place on the Olympic competition programme at Los Angeles 2028 and beyond.

World Boxing, the new international federation established to keep boxing at the heart of the Olympic Movement, has received more than 40 nominations for Executive positions when elections take place at its inaugural Congress in November 2023.

The nominations, which include 11 female candidates, cover a range of offices including President, Vice President (VP) and places on World Boxing’s Executive Board along with the Chairs of the Sport and Competition Committee, the Medical and Anti-Doping Committee and the Finance and Audit Committee.

The nominations come from 18 countries spread across four continents and mean that every Executive position and role as Committee Chair will be contested when members vote in November.  

In line with the processes set-out in World Boxing’s Statutes, Rules for Electoral Voting and Rules for Candidates of Elections (HERE) all of the candidates will be assessed for eligibility by an independent Vetting Panel using open-source materials. 

The Vetting Panel is made-up of three independent, external experts that do not have any involvement or knowledge of World Boxing and will be supported by the leading independent provider of sport-specific arbitration and mediation services, Sport Resolutions.

Once the vetting process has been completed a final list of eligible candidates will be published no later than 30 days before the elections take place.

Details of the World Boxing’s inaugural Congress will be announced in early September 2023.

The Secretary General of World Boxing, Simon Toulson, said: “Open, fair and transparent elections are a central element of World Boxing’s commitment to operating to the highest standards of governance. 

“To receive such a strong response to World Boxing’s call for candidates is a clear indication of the desire for change that exists within international boxing, and it is a very positive sign to see that every office bearing position within the organisation will be contested by a diverse range of candidates at the inaugural Congress.”

World Boxing was launched in April 2023 and aims to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement. It will seek recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and plans to work constructively and collaboratively to develop a pathway that will preserve boxing’s ongoing place on the Olympic competition programme at Los Angeles 2028 and beyond.

World Boxing, the new international federation established to ensure boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement, has appointed Professor Jack Anderson, as its first Ethics Chief.

Anderson has more than 25 years’ experience in legal practice and sports arbitration.  He is currently the legal counsel in integrity regulation at Racing Victoria, where he is on extended leave (2022-2025) from Melbourne Law School, having served as its Professor and Director of Sports Law Studies since 2017.

As World Boxing’s Ethics Chief, Anderson will advise on issues and disagreements related to governance and operations; review policies and programmes to ensure they are consistent with World Boxing’s ethics and values; respond to complaints and enquiries of an ethical nature; bring forward issues of ethical importance to the Executive Board and Secretary General; and ensure World Boxing’s operational activities are ethical, fair and transparent.

In this independent position, he will be the first point of contact for all issues and determine, in the first instance, if a complaint is required to be elevated to the approved World Boxing independent third-party organisation for further action or can be dealt with reasonably and fairly within the existing governance remit of the organisation.   The full Terms of Reference for the role of World Boxing’s Ethics Chief can be viewed HERE. 

Anderson was nominated for the role by an independent three-person panel and his appointment was ratified by the Executive Board of World Boxing. His initial appointment runs until the end of 2023 when he will have the opportunity to be re-appointed by the new Executive Board that will be elected at World Boxing’s inaugural Congress in November 2023.

World Boxing’s Secretary General, Simon Toulson, said: “Strong governance, ethical practices and independent, third-party oversight are central to everything that World Boxing stands for as an international federation and the role of the Ethics Chief is a vital part of making sure that these philosophies are ingrained into the day-to-day operations of the organisation.

“Jack has an outstanding track record in sports legal practice and we have no doubt that he will play an important role in enabling World Boxing to deliver the high standards of governance, transparency and ethical practice that we believe all international federations should aspire to.”

Jack Anderson added: “I am impressed by World Boxing’s commitment to transparency, integrity and strong governance and look forward to working with them. A sport with clear and sound ethical values, and the courage to pursue those who do not respect such standards, best protects its athletes. It also promotes greater confidence in the image and integrity of that sport helping it reach new audiences and secure its future.”   

Born in Ireland, Anderson lectured at the Queen’s University Belfast for 13 years before taking up the role of Professor and Director of Sports Law Studies at the University of Melbourne in 2017.

His primary research interest is the relationship between sport and the law. Professor Anderson has published widely in sports law including books such as The Legality of Boxing (Routledge, 2007) and, most recently, Sports Law: A Concise Introduction (Edward Elgar, 2023).

He is a member of the International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) Integrity Unit; the International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) Ethics Commission; and a subject expert on the Asia Racing Federation’s Council on Anti-Illegal Betting and Related Financial Crime.

Formerly an arbitrator on the Court of Arbitration for Sport, he now sits on World Athletics’ Disciplinary Tribunal, Football Australia’s NDRC and the National Sports Tribunal of Australia.

World Boxing was launched in April 2023 and aims to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement.  It will seek recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and plans to work constructively and collaboratively to develop a pathway that will preserve boxing’s ongoing place on the Olympic competition programme. 

Further information on World Boxing is available at www.worldboxing.org.