As a member of IBA, the Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA) was left in the cold with some boxers quitting amateur boxing to join the professional ranks. But things seem to be changing for the better after the IOC granted provisional recognition to World Boxing (WB), the international federation responsible for governing boxing worldwide within the Olympic movement. The announcement, made last Wednesday, marks a turning point in the recent history of Olympic sport, which had been in jeopardy due to conflicts between the IOC and the IBA.
According to a statement from the IOC, the decision was made following a thorough assessment of the World Boxing’s situation. BoBA president, Gilbert Khunwane, welcomed the development. However, Khunwane said BoBA is not affiliated with World Boxing, but it is something on the table and they will see how things will unfold. “IBA executive committee will take action as to whether to join WB or not. But at the same time, IBA allows us to join any federation recognised by IOC for boxing affairs. Even if we join WB, we will not lose our IBA membership,” he told MmegiSport. Khunwane said with the new changes, they would need to communicate with the Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) as to when to submit boxers for IOC scholarships. In June 2023, the IOC voted to formally revoke its recognition of the IBA, due to a lack of sufficient progress on addressing governance, finance, and corruption concerns since the original suspension. The IBA became the first international federation to ever be expelled from the Olympic movement.
