BoBA secures World Boxing membership

Calistus Kolantsho | Tuesday November 4, 2025 11:05

In 2023, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) expelled IBA due to concerns related to corruption, financial transparency, and possible ties to the Russian government. In their reaction to the decision, IBA accused the IOC of political games and of threatening the future of Olympic boxing. The IBA initiated legal action against the IOC, alleging unfair market dominance and pressuring national federations. The decision left BoBA and other members of the African Boxing Confederation (ABC) in limbo regarding competing at the Olympics. BoBA has been granted provisional membership status by World Boxing, the global Olympic-style boxing organisation. World Boxing was granted provisional membership by the IOC Board in February this year. However, the association is still a member of IBA. The decision was made following an assessment that World Boxing was composed of 78 National Federations from five continents, and four continental confederations are already established. World Boxing also provided evidence that 62 percent of the boxers and 58 percent of the boxing medalists at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 were its affiliates.

BoBA spokesperson, Kabelo Seleka, told Sport that being affiliated to World Boxing means they can attend and participate in all World Boxing events and competitions, including the World Challenge, World Cup, and World Championships, as well as the IOC-sanctioned events such as the Commonwealth Games and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. “Full membership will be reviewed at the next World Boxing Congress. Through this recognition, BoBA also becomes a provisional member of African Boxing, enabling us to send four boxers to the African Youth Games to be hosted in Luanda, Angola, in December. The competition is a qualification pathway for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, where two slots have been provisionally reserved for Botswana,” he said. Seleka said Botswana has been invited to attend the inaugural Africa Boxing elections, which are scheduled for December 28 in Lagos, Nigeria. Seleka said the development aligns with BoBA’s strategic goal of strengthening international partnerships and expanding competitive opportunities for local boxers.

He explained that being part of IBA gives local boxers access to a wider range of platforms to showcase their talent. Adding that IBA allows dual membership, which gives them an opportunity in case the IOC stance changes. Meanwhile, Seleka said national teams' coaches for junior, youth, and senior will be announced soon and including the provisional squad’s lists. Some of the African countries with pending membership for World Boxing are Togo, Seychelles, Namibia, Angola, Guinea, DRC, Liberia, Lesotho, Cape Verde, Mali, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Eswatini, and Morocco.